more amazing snow pics

Couldn't resist showing you more pics of the snow!
This fence is six feet high. Its the little "doggie yard" (just for them to use as a toilet area). I had to get in there today to clean it up (they access it through a doggie door).
See the shovel leaning up against our four wheeler? See the four wheeler? No? Neither do I anymore!

I stepped off the path where the snow isn't compressed and sank up to my crotch in snow! See my left leg? No? That's because its buried in SNOW! I had to take this picture, but wish Mike had the camera to take it for me. He was too busy snow blowing!!

There's the rose bushes from another angle. That snowbank is now higher than me!

Our front door. See the neighbor's house to the left? Well, SOME of their house, anyway! What a load of SNOW!

Jan's own work of art!~ and SNOW

My daughter Jan (see side bar for photo) made a card for her boyfriend yesterday and she let me take a picture of it and put it on my blog! I did not help her, except to tell her where things were in my art room, and how my CB machine worked. She did it all herself! Isn't it cute?

And here is the inside:

I'm so proud of her! She stamped the heart balloons and Matchmaking Maynard with Versafine Onyx Black on Canson 140 lb. cold press water color paper, and used my water based Tombow marker pens to color, blending with water on a wc brush. She drew and cut out a cloud shape on a post it note, and used it as a mask to sponge the sky. She cut out all the images and used two faced foam tape from the hardware store to pop the images out. Her idea for this card came from Rach of papercrafts*byrach! She loved her card here, esp what Rach did with the baloons, and so she cased that idea.
The tag on the front and the heart inside were done with my CB and Nestabilities dies. She had fun with my new toy and it was fun for me to share it with her!

On another note, we had a big dumping of snow lastnight, and this morning I just had to take some photos to show you just how much snow we have! This is s picture taken out my front door of the steps leading up to our house. You can see the narrow path Mike shoveled, just so he could get down the stairs. Those barren twigs sticking up out of the snowbank are my five foot high rose bushes, just to give you an idea of the depth of the snow.

I took this photo from my upstairs bathroom window. You can see our chiminea sticking up, and the small black object to the left and slightly above the chiminea is the only corner you can still see of our pup trailer that we use to haul things. You can see the neighbor's fence line, but you can't see the fence anymore, just the very top of it.

I also took this shot from above looking out the window. Mike had to put on his snowshoes just to walk in our yard. He had to get to the fireplace exhaust to shovel it out, as it was completely covered. This is a very dangerous thing, one can die in the house from carbon monoxide poisoning if the exhaust is blocked. Thankfully my dear Sweetie got to it right away! You can see how he is bracing himself and pulling himself up into the fenced in area (its the dog's toilet area, normally) just to get on top of the snow. That fence is about six feet high, to give you an idea of the height of this snowfall!

Notice how he towers above the six foot fence!

This is my neighbor's backyard. That gazebo has an awful lot of snow on the roof!

Another pic from our front door.

HHC19 Sponging!

Today's challenge hosted by Amy over at the High Hopes blog, is to make a card using sponging! I LOVE that technique, and use it in most of my cards whether along the edges, or all over the sky and ground.
Don't forget that there are two High Hopes images that will be given to one lucky winner next Sunday, and if you join in this challenge and link your card on the High Hopes Blog, you will have a chance to win! Amy's card on the HH blog displays the stamps that will be given away so go check it out!
I colored the images with a combination of Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol, and Twinkling H20's. I used Copics on the party hats, and stickles for a bit of glitter on them too. All the images except the Bale o' Hay are cut out. Brewster's one wing is raised on a pop dot, as well as Bossie's Bad Mood's ears and the end of his tail. The hat Brewster is holding is also raised on foam tape and so is the whole main image panel. I get this tape at the hardware store. Its normally used for adhering small fixtures to a wall, but of course I found a way to use it in crafting. =D
I just got some Nestabilities for the first time to use in my new Cuttlebug machine, and I am having so much fun with them (thanks God, You bless me so much, xo)! Sheila of Scrappin' Great Deals sold them to me, and her service and prices are excellent, for any of you Canadian shoppers!
After cutting out one of the curved rectangles, I took the paper that had the Nestie shape hole in it, and laid it over top the hay image (which is on white cs). I centered it around the hay as best I could, and taped it down. I used it like a stencil to do my sponging for the sky and the ground. I use make-up sponges from the dollar store (another money saving tip). I sponged on the sky using Memento Bahama Blue, concentrating the color along the upper edges. I did the same for the ground, using Memories Sepia and a gold colored Shadow Ink (sorry, the label is missing).
My DP is from a huge pad I got at Costco last year. Another inexpensive option! The buttons came from Wal Mart. I just love the teeny weeny ones! Raffia from Michael's.
The saying is computer generated. I must say that I did not think of this one on my own! I got some help and inspiration for both the card AND the saying over at Anna Wight's blog. She did such a great job with her cow card, and then put it out there for people to suggest sayings for it. I saw this one from Jacque (Petals on SCS) and just loved it, so I used their idea on my card.
Here is the inside. I haven't practiced much doing up the insides of cards. It's something I want to try and get better at. Blogs like papercrafts byrach really inspire me to take it to another level:

Here's a close-up of the colored images:

Thanks for visiting my blog today! God bless you, and may you know His amazing love for you! You are His heart's desire!

Blog Candy Alerts!

Bunny-Zoe's Blog closing Feb 24

Hand Stamped By Lacey closing Feb 23

papercrafts *byrach closing Feb 22

High Hopes Stamps blog weekly challenge (ongoing)

NEW RELEASE!! HHC18; Hoppy Easter & 4 Blog Candy alerts!!

The new release from High Hopes is now officially in the catty for you to see! There are lots of farm themed stamps with all the farm animals, a farmer and farm kids, a pizza guy, many bunnies for spring or Easter, and some cute little girls too!
I had the most fun drawing the farm themed stamps. When I was a little girl, I used to stare up into the night sky, while kneeling on my bed, clasp my hands, and pray really fervently that God would one day let me live on a farm with lots of animals!! So this theme is very dear to my heart!


The High Hopes Challenge today is brought to you by Nikki Fairbairn, aka Bunny Zoe's Blog. If you visit her blog you will see some HUGE offerings up for grabs in a draw that will take place Tues. Feb 24, 2009! This is her own personal offering of blog candy.
For the High Hopes blog site, she has asked us to make cards with an Easter theme and has titled this challenge, "Hoppy Easter". If you don't have Easter stamps, you can join in the challenge by making your card with a Spring theme, not a problem! There is an offering of blog candy again from Tina and Bethany of High Hopes stamps from the latest new release! Be sure to link up your creation onto the High Hopes Blog in order to be eligible for the draw at the end of the week for two free stamps from High Hopes!! Nikki's card on the HHblog shows the 2 stamps you will receive if you win...More yummy blog candy!
Now, onto my card; I colored the images mostly with Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol. The ground has some watercolored grass on it. Also, I added gold gel pen to the cow bell and stickles to the handle of the basket and inside the ears. Maribelle cow, Bunny Ears and Easter Basket are separate stamps; the ears were cut out and glued down, the basket was cut out and put on pop dots. I love that the bunny ears and basket can go with just about any of the characters I have and turn them into a fun Easter image!
I felt like sewing different patterns onto the card today and I happen to like the effect! Kind of fun to let your imagination run a little sometimes. Like the cow.... She thinks she is fooling everybody into thinking that she is an Easter bunny. Nobody but nobody believes her.
Oh, and by the way, God answered that prayer for me! For awhile I lived with my sister on her farm, had my own horse, and took care of the animals all day long. I was in HEAVEN!
Thanks for stopping by my blog today!
Hugs and blessings!

4 Blog Candy Alerts!

High Hopes Challenge 18

Papercrafts byrach

Inky Paws closed Tues. Feb 17, 10 AM CT

Bunny Zoe's Blog

HIGH HOPES HULLABALOO take 3!

The new release starts late tonight!! Over 75 new stamps going into the catty over at High Hopes, Sunday Feb. 15, right after midnight, EST!
I have another sneak peek for you today! How do you like my old buzzard on the joshua tree?

I colored him with Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol, and used Twinkling H20's to deepen the shadows. Tombow pens were used on the party hat.
I hand wrote the saying and got the idea for a flag-like tab for the sentiment from Anna Wight. She does those a lot on her cards and I love it! Lacey Stephens inspired me today with this beauty of a card with the way she used her sewing machine. So I went a little nuts with mine, kinda like she did and I love the effect! Only I used white thread and it doesn't show up nice like hers. I will have to use a colored thread next time! This card does double duty, not just for the High Hopes Hullabaloo, but also the Inspiration Challenge on Splitcoast Stampers today.
Hope you're liking the new releases so far! I sure had fun drawing them!!
TFL and God bless you!

HH Hullabaloo, Day 2!!

Its Day 2 of the High Hopes Hullabaloo! What's all the hullabaloo about? The upcoming new release from High Hopes!! This Sunday Feb 15 is the day all the new release stamps will go up on their website for purchase! And today I have a second sneak peek for you!
This stamp, as yet unnamed, will be up on the High Hopes website by Sunday Feb. 15, along with over seventy other brand spankin' new stamps! Be sure to go hoppin' onto the other Diva's blogs (links on my right side bar) to see other sneak peeks today!
I colored the tractor using Prismacolor Pencils and Gamsol. I used a couple of Tombow pens in places to deepen some shadows, like under the tractor and on the top of the wheel. Gel pen was used on the little blue flowers.
I used my hem stitch on my sewing machine for the stitching and I like the pattern it made. I dusted off my Fascinator and used it for the ribbon embellishment. Man that thing is not easy to use! Now I know why it got dusty!
Die cuts were made using my Cuttlebug.
I printed a sentiment for the inside of the card on my computer. It reads, "Some things get better with age. Some things just rust. Don't worry, you're the former, not the latter!"
Thanks for looking and God bless you today!

PS On a serious note, my prayers are with the families who lost loved ones in the plane crash in Buffalo, New York, as well as those who recently lost families and homes in the fires of Australia. Lord be with them.

HH HULLABALOO!!

Its a High Hopes Hullabaloo! What's all the hullabaloo about? The upcoming new release from High Hopes!! This Sunday Feb 15 is the day all the new release stamps will go up on their website for purchase! And today I have a sneak peek for you!

You can go on a High Hopes Hop today, tomorrow and Saturday to find more sneak peeks from other Divas! Just click on the list of Diva's blogs on the right side bar to see what stamps are coming out this Sunday!
I colored the donkey (he is yet un-named!), ground and background using Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol and used white acrylic paint for a few highlights in his mane and on his nose. The bg paper was from a pack I found at a dollar store, no kidding! It had like thirty 6x6 sheets! And I only paid a buck!
Check back here tomorrow for another sneak peek!
God bless you, and thanks so much for your visit!

Design Team call!

I cut and pasted this post from the High Hopes blog, just in case you haven't been there to see it. It was written by our talented Diva Divine, Kim Reid. Please note that I am not involved in the choosing process. I am simply passing this on for your information. Follow Kim's instructions below. Here is the post as it appears on the HH blog:

Have you ever thought 'Hmmm...those High Hopes Divas seem to have so much fun!!'? Well, you're RIGHT! We do!! And we're looking for a couple of new crafty gals (or dudes) to join our crew!!

Each term we ask two designers to join us for a three month term to stamp up a storm using High Hopes images! This term will run from April to June.

In order to apply, here's what you have to do:

1. Use Katharina's wonderful sketch from yesterday's challenge to make a card. If you don't have High Hopes stamps yet, not a problem!! Use what stamps you do have...but if you've got 'em, use 'em!!

2. Send us a link to your online gallery and/or blog so we can see more of your work!

3. Tell us a little bit about yourself, including any past/current design team work. If you've never been on a DT before, not to worry! We are looking for seasoned stampers as well as new stampers! Also tell us why you'd like to join the Divas!!

4. Send your pic and information to Kim at: fairygirlstamper@yahoo.ca

What is expected of our Guest Designers and what they receive:
1. As a High Hopes Diva, you will receive TEN High Hopes stamps of your choice. Also if there is a release during your term, you will receive new stamps as well!!

2. Designers are required to create cards and projects using their High Hopes stamps and upload them to their online galleries and/or blog. We require approximately one design per week and you must make at least one card with each stamp that you receive. Joining in with the challenges each week is not a requirement, but it's so much fun, so why not?? Heehee!

So if this sounds like something you would enjoy and you can make the commitment for three months, from April 1st to June 30th, please send us your submissions!! The deadline for applications will be Sunday, February 22nd!! We look forward to hearing from you!!

HHC17 and IC166 EDIT! :BLOG CANDY ALERT

Besides the weekly blog candy offered by Tina of High Hopes Stamps over at the High Hopes blog, also, Michelle has a huge offering of blog candy going on at her blog right now!! Don't miss out on your chance to win!

Time for another challenge over at the High Hopes Blog! This week it is a sketch challenge brought to you by the lovely Katharina Frei! I chose to use it for another Valentine, and I think this one will be going to my DH Mike, who is the King, at least in my part of the jungle! Or you could say, he is my mane squeeze, which is the saying I intend for the inside!
I used Saturday's IC166 for some inspiration as well. More deets on my SCS gallery.
I stamped my High Hopes Leo (who happens to be my all time favorite stamp that I illustrated) with Tsukeneko Tuxedo Black ink onto Magna paper and colored him with Copics. I started with the lightest shade and kept deepening the shades a little at a time, building up the layers. I would go back and blend with the lightest shade overtop. When I was done all the coloring, I went over some places with a white gel pen to highlight and to give his fur some texture. You can see it better up close.
I just got a Cuttlebug last week and so I went a little nuts with die cuts on this card (as you can see!).
I used my sewing machine just to pierce the card (its not working right to actually sew). I threaded a darning needle with tapestry thread and sewed the red thread along the edges by hand, once I had made a row of piercing. All the off-white layers are distressed with ink and with a metal ruler. One of the skinny panels is wrapped at the bottom with red paper strand I got at the dollar store. The puffy red heart is also a dollar store embellishment and I poked a hole in it with my paper drill and put a brad into it (same thing with the hearts on the main image panel).
Don't forget that if you play the challenge this week and post a link to your creation on the HH blog, your name will be entered into the draw for a chance to win two free High Hopes Stamps!
Thanks for looking today, and God bless you! And may you know His Big Lion-y Love for YOU!

HHC16 Lace!

Edited to add: Kim of Kraftin' Kimmi's Korner is having daily challenges with chances to win blog candy all week to celebrate her birthday, AND there is a big draw at the end of the week, so go check it out!

I had the hardest time spittin this card out! The challenge over at the High Hopes Blog this Sunday is to do a card or project using some form of lace. You can use lace border punches, lace corner punches, real lace, lace on your dp, paper lace, any sort of lace! If you join the challenge and post a link to your creation on the HH blog, your name will be entered into a draw to win two free stamps! The hostess for this challenge is the talented Ila. If you haven't been to her blog yet, you are missing out! Her card on the HH blog also displays the two stamps that Tina will give away to one lucky winner in the draw. You have until Saturday night to post a link to your creation with lace onto the HH blog so go get creating!
On the HH blog, there is a second post as well showing the new Project Of The Month stamps that are on sale for the month of February! The sale starts today and runs til the end of the month. What's more, it is a SNEAK PEEK at the new release that is scheduled for Feb. 15th! And you can get in on it now! All you gotta do is write to Tina HERE and ask for the Feb. POTM set!

Ok, so all week, I am planning to make my lacey sample card on Saturday. I was thinking of my Fiskar's lace edge punch and planning to use it.
So Saturday morning, I go rummaging through my craft supplies drawers where I keep my punches... no lace punch... EEK! Suddenly I remember giving it away to a new crafter last year! Yikes! What am I going to do!!
No problem, I think, I distinctly remember saving the lacey paper doilies off a table at a ladies dinner last spring. I knew they would come in handy for card crafting one day, and that day had arrived! So, I look through all my drawers to find where I stashed them. I look and look... no doilies!!
Oh well, I knew hubby Mike and I were going shopping so I figured I would go pick some up at a dollar store.
Mike and I go shopping in the city (forty minute drive away) and find some great paper doilies at the Buck or Two. Even HEART shaped ones, in red! PERFECT! I still have some Valentines to make so of course I feel great with my red paper lace doilies!
After the dollar store purchases, we head to the theater to watch "Bolt" at the matinee. One of the best movies I've seen; I laugh so hard and then cry near the end, and can't believe I'm crying over a CARTOON! Anyway, we leave the theatre and get about twenty minutes into the forty minute drive home, when BAM, it hits me... I left the bag of dollar store lace doilies in the theater!!!
Mike asks if I want to go back -- so he turns the car around (on a four lane, no less!!) when he suddenly changes his mind and says it would be better if we go to the dollar stores in the next town (we live three towns away from where we had shopped). So he turns BACK around, and we go to the dollar stores in the next town.... NONE of them have doilies, let alone heart shaped red doilies. We looked in three stores...
SO, I figure I ought to be a BIG GIRL and not pout about loosing the best little red lacey heart shaped doilies I had ever seen, and so I tell him forget it, lets just go home... But, instead of turning out of the parking lot for home, he turns back onto
the highway that takes us back into the big city where I first got the doilies, and takes me back to that first store, even though it adds another forty minutes of driving onto the day!
Now, should he get a medal for Best Husband or what!
I finally got my card made this afternoon. I'm not as happy with it as I hand hoped to be. However, it is what it is! and I wasn't about to NOT post it after all that!!
I stamped Snuggle Lions onto Magna paper in Brown Distress Ink and colored them with the following Copics:
I colored the entire surface of both lions with
E50 Egg Shell
Then I started layering other colors on, from lightest to darkest with the following:
E53 Raw Silk
YR20 Yellowish Shade
E31 Brick Beige
E33 Sand
E34 Orientale
E55 Light Camel
Y28 Lionette Gold
E37 Sepia
E57 Light Walnut
E29 Burnt Umber
E47 Dark Brown
E59 Walnut
E49 Dark Bark
For the shadow on the light portion of the paws and muzzle, I used
BV20 Dull Lavender
BV23 Greyish Lavender
Followed by YR20 Yellowish Shade
For the blush on the cheeks I had used a very pink shade, RV10 Pale Pink and didnt' like it so I added R20 Blush on top. I added a highlight with a white gel pen.
The background colors are:
BG10 Cool Shadow
BG72 Ice Ocean and
BG18 Teal Blue.
Here is a closeup of the colored image:

I used a Fiskar's corner punch, "Lace" to do the corners.
I am really excited for when I get to go to Toronto in March and take a Copics Certification course!! I will really find out how to use those babies! Right now I know I am fumbling along, and learning by trial and error. It will be great to get some real instruction! Best part is, I will get to go and meet Kim and Janette! Two of my fellow Diva girls!! Yay!
Anyway, roast is ready (I can smell it!) so thanks for coming by and God bless you today!