His Presence ...

He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree. ~Roy L. Smith 

Good morning Everyone!

Today is my Growing in Unity 2017, Day 4 show and tell!

For this card, I am simply using one of Unity Stamps awesome sentiment stamps for my Christmas card. I loved how this card turn out so much I made 3 more.

Supplies

• Sentiment “His Presence”
• Card stock from The Paper Studio
• Cross Stitch Ovals from Gina Marie Designs
• Cross Stitch Rectangles from Gina Marie Designs
• Design Paper “Oh Deer” from Close to my Heart
• Gold Sequins from my stash
• India ink from Memories
• Organdy ribbon from Jo-Ann Craft Store 

If you are interested you can find out more about Unity Stamp Company by visiting their website and social media sites:

UnityStamp Company

Blog 

Pinterest 

Facebook

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to comment for a chance to win some awesome stamps!

Once in a Lifetime ...

It is the life of the crystal, the architect of the flake, the fire of the frost, the soul of the sunbeam. This crisp winter air is full of it. ~John Burroughs, "Winter Sunshine"

Greetings to my crafty Peeps this fine Wednesday morning!

Today is my Growing in Unity 2017, Day 3 show and tell!

I also have a thing for snowflakes!

I am not sure why, since I am a Arizona born Desert Rat through and through … I hate being hot, but I hate being cold to the bone even more!

But there is that … something … that snowflakes have that fascinate me to no end. Maybe it’s the knowing that, like us, they are each beautiful in their own way and there is no two alike. Maybe it’s the knowing that, like us, they have a limited time available to them to provide pleasure and beauty to this world…

I do have quite a few snowflake stamps but none like this one. Like my Angels, I love to find those snowflakes that are different from what people expect. The main reason I bought this one is that it is so very different and I fell in love with that one little tiny word “believe”.

For this 5 x7 card, I used an embossing folder for the background, lightly tapped with some VersaMark and embossed with gold embossing powder. The image and sentiment were also stamped and heat embossed.

Supplies

• Image/Sentiment “Magical Days”
• Card stock from The Paper Studios
• Gold embellishments from Close to My Heart
• Gold embossing powder from Stampin Up!
• Gold foil tape from Close to My Heart
• Gold rhinestone ribbon from the Dollar Tree
• Softly Falling embossing folder from Stampin Up!
• VersaMark 

If you are interested you can find out more about Unity Stamp Company by visiting their website and social media sites:

UnityStamp Company

Blog 

Pinterest 

Facebook

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to comment for a chance to win some awesome stamps!

It's the little things ...

The manner of giving is worth more than the gift.

~Pierre Corneille, Le Menteur

Good morning!

Back again this morning to share my card for the newest color challenge at The Outlawz Challenges.

Our sponsor this month is Mari Digis Digital Stamp Store with a prize of 3 images from the store.

It is my turn to select the challenge this week so I am challenging you to use Burgundy, Glittery gold, tan and cream … and the twist is “not a card”.

I made a pillow box door hanger...

Supplies

• Image printed on Georgia-Pacific Premium Card Stock 110wt/93bright and colored with Alcohol markers
• Beaded oval dies from Spellbinders
• Cardstock from Stampin Up!
• Classic circle dies from Sizzix
• Classic oval dies from Spellbinders
• Foam dimensional pieces
• Glue tape
• Gold glitter glue from Close to My Heart
• Gold glitter paper from Close to My Heart
• Liquid pearls from rangers
• Mixed media glue
• Pearl Smooch from ClearSnap
• Ribbon from my stash (gift)
• Sentiment hand written
• Template for project, unknown
• White gel pen

Thanks for stopping by and don’t forget to stop by TheOutlawz Challenges where a new challenge starts every day of the week!

(Hugs) Cara

Angels, Angels and more Angels! ...

Be an angel to someone else whenever you can, as a way of thanking God for the help your angel has given you. ~Quoted in The Angels' Little Instruction Book by Eileen Elias Freeman, 1994

Hello!

Today is my Growing in Unity 2017, Day 2 show and tell!

I have a thing for Angels and Angel wings…

I was born in December, very close to Christmas and every year my mom has given me a special angel for my birthday. Some are small and some are large, like the life size brass angel wings she gave me for my 50^th birthday! (They are AWESOME!) To this day I am always on the hunt for the Angels and wings that are different or have something special that separates them from standard mass produced pretty angels we tend to see in the stores.

Surprisingly, I don’t have a large collection of Angel stamps so when I saw this stamp set “Make Snow Angels” I dropped it right into my shopping cart! He is sooo cute with such a sweet expression on his face! Seriously, combined with the sentiment that comes with him, he is perfect anytime you want to create a pick-me-up card for someone special!

For this 5 x 7 card, I created a sparkly border with some glue and fine glitter. I also added glitter to the chipboard snowflakes and the image itself

Sadly I could not get a really good picture of the sparkly no matter how hard I tried! :O(

Supplies

• Image/Sentiment “Make Snow Angels”
• Alcohol markers
• Card stock from The Paper Studio and Stampin Up!
• Chipboard snowflakes from Close to My Heart
• Design paper “Snowflakes” from Ever after Scrapbook Co.
• Extra fine Glitter from Sulyn
• India Ink from Memories 

If you are interested you can find out more about Unity Stamp Company by visiting their website and social media sites:

Unity Stamp Company

Blog

Pinterest

Facebook

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to comment for a chance to win some awesome stamps!

(Hugs) Cara

Charlie Brown Memories ...

And, so, Christmas comes to bless us! Comes to teach us how to find the joy of giving happiness and the joy of being kind.

~Gertrude Tooley Buckingham, "There Will Always Be a Christmas" (1940s)

  

It’s finally here! Yay! I have the wonderful opportunity to be a Unity gal for Growing in Unity 2017!

I stumbled across Unity Stamps a little over a year ago. They carry a nice variety and the quality just can’t be beat. They have become my choice for rubber stamps.

For the next 5 days I will be sharing cards I made using a Unity image and the best part (besides spending time in my craft room playing with some awesome stamps) is that at the end of the week, I will draw two winners from all the comments left on each post and the winners will each receive a bundle of stamps from Unity … So, make sure to come back and comment every day!

If I am asked to describe my crafting style, I would say mine is more or less CAS. While not all my cards lean to CAS, it does seems to be my go to style and the card I am sharing today pretty much holds to that.

“Small Stuff Christmas” is one of my absolute favorite Unity stamps. It really takes me back to my childhood and the annual event of settling down with the my Mom and brothers to watch one of my favorite Holiday movies, “A Charlie Brown Christmas”. This is a well-loved stamp set and will see more use here shortly as I finish up my Christmas cards for the year!

Supplies

• Image/Sentiment “Small Stuff Christmas” from Unity Stamp Company
• Alcohol Markers
• Card stock from The Paper Studio and Stampin Up!
• India Ink from Memories
• Prisma Color Pencils
• Red Glitter Glue from Stampin Up!
• Softly Falling embossing folder from Stampin Up! 

If you are interested you can find out more about Unity Stamp Company by visiting their website and social media sites: 

Unity Stamp Company

Blog

Pinterest

Facebook

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to comment for a chance to win some awesome stamps!

Nice day for a Bicycle ride ...

Thought for the Day

“Beware of Destination Addiction – a preoccupation with the idea that happiness is in the next place, the next job and with the next partner. Until you give up the idea that happiness is somewhere else, it will never be where you are.”

~ Robert Holden, PhD

Good morning!

Back again this morning to share my card for the newest color challenge at The Outlawz Challenges.

Our sponsor this month is Mari Digis Digital Stamp Store with a prize of 3 images from the store.

  

This weeks challenge comes to us from Jeanie  …

Orange plus two colors of choice with a twist of using lace!

Here is my 5 x 7 card using C11 Fom-Fom

Supplies

• Image printed on Georgia-Pacific Premium Card Stock 110wt/93bright and colored with Prisma Color Pencils
• Corner punch from EK Success
• Glitter Glue from Studio G
• Lace from my stash
• Rhinestone butterflies from my stash
• Yellow Stickles from Ranger

Thanks for stopping by and don’t forget to stop by The Outlawz Challenges where a new challenge starts every day of the week!

(Hugs) Cara

Up, Up & Away ...

In a rapidly ascending balloon were two men.

One watched the earth getting farther and farther away.

One watched the stars getting nearer and nearer.

~George Jean Nathan, "Viewpoint," A Book Without a Title, 1918

Good evening!

I am here to share a card that I made using the August Facebook Progressive Freebie from DigiStamps4Joy!

When I first received the image I immediately thought “Gingerbread House” Balloon. LOL … As you can see, I did not make the house into a gingerbread one but I did make a Christmas card.

Before attaching the design paper to the card base, I created a frosty border on the base using a little bit of clear Elmer’s glue and ultra-fine glitter. When thoroughly dried, I used a strong adhesive to attach the first layer.

Supplies

• Image printed on Georgia-Pacific Premium Cardstock 110wt/92bright and colored with alcohol markers
• 1-inch circle punch from Marvy
• Card stock from The Paper Studio (Base), American Crafts, Stampin Up! and The Paper Temptress
• Design paper “City Sidewalks” from Close to My Heart
• Elmer’s clear glue
• Extra fine glitter “Crystal Diamond” from Sulyn
• Rhinestones from Made by Me
• Snowflake punch from Martha Stewart
• Studio G Clear glitter glue
• Sketch unknown (I didn't write it down)

Thanks for stopping by!

(Hugs) Cara

Oh My! ...

Thought for the day

“My wish for you is that you continue. Continue to be who you are, to astonish a mean world with your acts of kindness.”

~ Maya Angelou

Good morning!

Here this morning to share my card for the newest color challenge at The Outlawz Challenges.

Our sponsor this month is Mari Digis Digital Stamp Store with a prize of 3 images from the store.

We have an inspiration picture this week from Kimberly. I love all the colors but was really drawn to the more fall colors so that is what I went with for my card. But if you look close enough you can see some clouds and flowers in the mix too. :O)

This week I am using this cute image Oz scarecrow-C8Collection and a sketch from February 2015 Mojo Monday.

Supplies for A2 card

• Digi image “Oz scarecrow-C8 Collection” from MariDigis
• Image printed on Georgia-Pacific Premium card stock 110wt/92bright
• Alcohol markers
• Card stock from The Paper Studio, Stampin Up! and American Crafts
• Cloud embossing folder from Darice
• Flowers embossing folder from We R Memory Keepers
• India ink from Memories
• Ink from Stampin Up!
• Sentiment from Studio G
• Sequins from my stash

Thanks for stopping by!

Hope to see you over at The Outlawz Challenges where a new challenge starts each day of the week!

(Hugs) Cara

*** FEATURED CARD AT THE OUTLAWZ CHALLENGES WEEK OF 8-31-17

The Character of a Man ...

“At the end of life, what really matters is not what we bought but what we built; not what we got but what we shared; not our competence but our character; and not our success, but our significance. Live a life that matters. Live a life of love.”

~ Author Unknown

Hi Everyone!

Today I am sharing a special card I made for a special person who recently retired from an amazing career as a teacher in the medical field.

This is a Bendi card. Every tutorial I had or could find was for an A2 size card so not only is this the first time I’ve made this style of card, I also had to do math (Blech!) to change the sizing to a 5 x 7 card.

Sadly, I also made a gift box to go along with the card, but I forgot to take pictures of that.

This picture is of the card folded into the diorama position

This picture shows the inside of the card

Supplies

Cardstock mostly from Stampin Up! with bits and pieces from my scrap bin.

Metallic cardstock is from Bazzill, The Dollar Tree and The Paper Temptress

Deer family border die from CottageCutz

Design paper from Prima Marketing set “Second Wind Collection” and Momenta as well as bits and pieces from my scrap bin

Grass border punch from Fiskars

India Ink from Memories

Label punches from Stampin Up!

Pine Tree die from Sizzix

Scenic Pines die from Crafters Companion

Sentiment from Repeat Impressions
Squirrel die from Gina Marie Designs

Sun Die from Gina Marie Designs

Sunny Days (clouds) dies from Spellbinders

 

 Thanks for stopping by!

(Hugs) Cara

Blog Candy Winner!

“In my life I’ve learned that true happiness comes from giving.

Helping others along the way makes you evaluate who you are.

I think that love is what we’re all searching for.

I haven’t come across anyone who didn’t become a better person through love.”

~ Marla Gibbs

Greetings Friends

Thank you to everyone who took time to comment on my card! I hope all the wonderful creations shared during the Hop has inspired you to create some special cards for Christina’s card drive. While the blog hop is over, there is still time to participate … Remember, even one card is appreciated!

While I had many sweet and thoughtful comments, 14 lovely ladies left their names for a drawing for my card candy … and the winner is …

6.

Marilyn C

Marilyn ... Congratulations you are the winner of my blog candy. I've sent you an email!

(Hugs) Cara

Pretty Vintage Lady ...

“The things that make us happiest are usually right in front of our faces, but we stop noticing those things after a while.

Today is a great day to start noticing again.”

~ Author Unknown

Good Afternoon!

Late I am with this post to share my card for the new color challenge that started today at The Outlawz Challenges.

Our sponsor this month is MariDigis with a prize of 3 images from the store.

Our challenge this week comes from Laurian which is use 3 of these 5 colors with a Vintage twist.

Aren’t these colors just yummy? I used a little of all the colors but primarily Yellow, Blue and Kraft.

My card is also a 6 x 6 square card. Not a size I make that often, but I found this sketch from High Hope Stamps and wanted to try it out.

Supplies

Image: C1 Collection Jane Austin Inspiration

Alcohol markers

Cardstock from Stampin Up! and Bazzill

Design Paper from Colorbok “Antique Paperie”

Enamel dots from my stash

Heart die from Close to My Heart

Image printed on Georgia Pacific Premium 110wt/92bright cardstock

India Ink from Memories

Thanks for stopping by! 

I hope you come check out The Outlawz Challenges, where we have a different challenge starting each day of the week!

(Hugs) Cara

Heart of Flowers ...

'Tis my faith that every flower

Enjoys the air it breathes!

~William Wordsworth, "Lines Written in Early Spring," Lyrical Ballads, 1798

Good evening!

Today starts of a new month long challenge at SheepSki Challenge Blog. Our theme this month is "Flower Power".

I love this image "Floral Heart" ... so many possibilities for this image which is something I really like. Think Mothers Day, Easter and even a beautiful sympathy card just to name a few. I, however, chose to make a birthday card for someone special who is going to be celebrating their 100th birthday :O)

  

Image "Floral Heart" from SheepSki Designs colored with Alcohol Markers

Bandana embossing folder from Cuttlebug

Black hybrid ink from Palette

Cardstock from The Paper Studio and Stampin Up!

Distress Stickles by Ranger

Elegant border die from Crafters Companion

Liquid Pearls by Ranger

Pearl stems from Jo-Ann's (Local Craft Store)

Pearls from Recollections

Pink flowers, made by me using Prima milk bottle flowers

Sentiment from Sincere Salutations by Stampin Up!

White gel pen

White rose from stash

Yellow rose from Michael's dollar bin 

Now ... You have two ways to play along with SheepSki Designs!

BLOG ... Where you are allowed to use any hand colored image for a chance to win 3 images ... BUT, if you use a SheepSki Designs image and are the winner, you get an additional image choice

or

FACEBOOK ... Where you must use a SheepSki Designs Image for a chance to win 3 images

As an added bonus, when you are done shopping in the STORE, if you use my code SKICARA10 at check out you will receive a 10% discount off your purchased! So come along and play one or both! Can't wait to see what you create!

Looking forward to seeing your lovely creations!
(Hugs) Cara

Color me Purple ...

“And as you walk your road, as you live your life, relish the road.

And relish the fact that the road of your life will probably be a windy road.”

~ Suzan-Lori Parks

Good morning Crafty Peeps!

Yep … another post from me today … Bumper crop!

Today starts a new Color Challenge at The Outlawz.

Our Sponsor this month is MariDigis with a prize of 3 images.

Our challenge this week comes from Jacqui and is monochromatic. You can pick you color.

For my card I am using a die cut because I spilled coffee all over my colored image while working on the card base.

1. Teach me to drink at my work table.
2. Teach me to wait until the last minute to get my cards done so that I don’t have time to recover if there are accidents

Supplies

Cardstock from The Paper Studio (card base)

Metallic cardstock from Bazzill

Cardstock from Stampin Up!

Hair colored in with black sharpie

Rhinestones from Recollections colored with a purple sharpie

Glitter paper from Stampin Up!

Fishing you ...

There he stands, draped in more equipment than a telephone lineman, trying to outwit an organism with a brain no bigger than a breadcrumb, and getting licked in the process.  ~Paul O'Neil, 1965 (Hahahaha – Only because my husband is back to fishing and this just cracked me up!)

Good Morning

Today starts a new Progressive Freebie Challenge at TheOutlawz Challenges. Each month we will send you a free digital image to use in the challenge. Once your creation is completed, upload it into the freebie challenge and you will automatically receive the next month free digi.  We will have one image per month so you have plenty of time to create a project using the image.

If you are not registered yet, make sure you are a member (It’s free) at the Outlawz Challenges Website, then email your name and email address to: outlawzprogressivechallenge@gmx.com 

This month, we actually had our choice of two images to play with created by the talented Jean Chaney.

As a Certified Zentangle teacher, she feels it is important for you to know that these images, while using some of the patterns of Zentangle are in actuality ZIA’s (Zentangle Inspired Art). The Zentangle® method is an easy to learn, relaxing and fun way to use structured patterns to create beautiful images. Do read more about this method from the founders of this meditative approach to art on their website. Zentangle.com

I am using her image “Swish Tangled”

Supplies:

Image and sentiment colored with Alcohol markers.

Accents were added to the “Swish” image using glitter pens from Crayola :O)

Cardstock from The Paper Studio

Classic circle dies from Sizzix

Design Paper from DCWV (I think)

India Ink from Memories

Ink from Stampin Up!

Rhinestones from Recollections

Sand stamp from JRL Designs (aka CTMH)

Sentiments from Inkahootz!

Silver cardstock from Bazzill

Wave embossing folder from Sizzix

For more creative ideas from Jean, please check out her social media

http://tanglestreet.blogspot.com/

http://tanglestreetcolorway.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/tanglestreet

Thanks fo stopping by!

Hope to see you over at the Outlawz Challenges where a new challenge starts every day of the week!(Hugs) Cara

Cards for Little Hearts Card Drive & Blog Hop!

Children are one third of our population and all of our future.

~Select Panel for the Promotion of Child Health, 1981

Good morning!

Today is a busy day for posting here on my blog but I think this one is the most important of all as today we kick off a special blog hop to help gather cards for the Cards for Little Hearts Card Drive.

The purpose of Cards for Little Hearts is to collect handmade cards for the Heart Center staff at Nationwide Children’s Hospital to distribute to children with congenital heart disease and help lift their spirit while they are hospitalized and need major heart surgery or are having a particularly tough time.

This card drive is opens to both U.S. and International participants. Anyone is welcome to help make the cards, including children, grandchildren and students.

The current 2017 card drive runs from July 1st - August 25th with a Winter Wishes or Holiday Wishes theme.

If you are interested in participating in the card drive, more information about the card requirements and sponsors can be found HERE on Christina's Blog "Christina Hor Designs"

Here is one of the cards I made for the drive

BLOG HOP GIVEAWAY

There is only one requirement to qualify for the Blog Hop prizes

Two (2) randomly winners will be drawn from all comments left on all participating designers blog

Winners will be announced on Tuesday, August 7th at 8 a.m. Eastern time over at Christina Hor's blog

Some of the designers, including me, are giving away blog candy on their blog so make sure you visit them all and leave comments so let's get started!

If you came here from Edwina's Creations you are on track. If not, you can start from the beginning at Christina's blog so you don't miss a thing!

Hop starts here --> Christina Hor

Jo'sScrap Shack

Edwina Brown

YOU ARE HERE --> Cara Malmrose

Andrea Norris

Sybrina K.

Sandra Blaricum

Lori Kobular

Hop ends here --> Donna Ellis

BLOG CANDY GIVEAWAY

I am giving away a little package consisting of a die from Gina Marie Designs, embellishments from K&Company, a stencil from Kathy Davis and a little surprise.

Please leave your name and email address in Mr. Linky below so I can contact the winner ... 

And don't forget to leave a comment for a chance at the other awesome prizes 

(Hugs) Cara