Happy Thursday!

I sound like a broken record every Thursday. 

If you know me over on SCS, I recently changed my alias from "Speedy" to "proCRAFTinator".  A bit of a play on words, but so very accurate in the past couple of months.  My mojo seems to spike when I can't craft....lol...must be a Murphy's Law!

Here is my submission to the progressive challenge at Delightful Inspiration.

The image is Ladybug Bloom.  Everything else is from my stash....one day, I will get my scraps to a manageable level!  oops...the sentiment is SU.  And, you might want to know that I colored the immie with my Bic's and the blue background with CTMH maker diluted with an aqua marker thing.  {Nope, I;m not tired!!}

Thanks for stopping in!
Huggz,
April

CGC?

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR MY HAPPY MONDAY POST,

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN

Okay, I admit, I was too lazy to say that this post is for the Calendar Girls Challenge.  I was the virtual hostess this month and this is what I asked:

I chose March because it is my birth month and the time that the weather starts to break here in the NorthEast. I always have something to look forward to!


For our challenge this month, I wanted to challenge us with a three-fer. It is the third month after all!
1. Since Spring is right around the corner and I am so looking forward to it, I'd like everyone to use a stamp/stamps/digi(s) that portray something YOU are looking forward to! It can be Spring, Summer, vacation, a holiday, or even a nice dinner!
2. I'd like you to use a technique or product that "scares" you. In my case, it could be glitter or spray Smooch. Just make it something that you admire and have procrstinated trying or using!
3. Lastly, I'd like you to use the attched sketch. You can interpret it however loosely you wish. I would just like CS/DP to follow my sketch - add all the layers and embellies you see fit. The sketch can be rotated and proportions can change - it is just a rough drawing


That all being said, here is my card and a little ditty to tell you about it.

I am so looking forward to the day that my son, Kyle, can have a dog.  Probably not as much as he is, but still looking forward to that day!  Therefore, I used PuddleJumper, Noah , from Claudia and Company as my image.  I recently won this and couldn't wait to get it so that I could make this very card!
I am scared spitless of using my Smooch spray - it comes out about once every hundreth time I try it, so was determined to use it on this card.  I used two different ones trying to get it to glitter - and while the picture really doesn't do it justice, it isn't exactly how I wanted the finished product to look....lol  I like to think that maybe it depicts a splattering of mud which Kyle and his puppy will one day be tracking through my house....lol

 

Thanks for stopping by!
Huzzs,
April

Happy Monday Challenge

It's time for another Happy Monday Challenge with the gang at Deedee's Digis.  This week, the them is Fellowship Monday with the spotlight on making something to share with a young person.

I chose to make little coins for my son.  They don't have bling, aren't very intricate and are PERFECT for my son's lunch bag to just let him know I am thinking of him.  Most importantly, they won't embarrass him in front of 'the guys.'

I printed out the Cuties for Cure and then made up my own little sayings for the reverse.  I trimmed around the colored (with Bics) images and adhered them to dp from Close To My Heart. 

Easy peasy and sure to brighten up my son's day!

Thanks for stopping by~

Huggz,

April

Another Creative Sunday

Welcome everyone to the Creative Cowgirls Easter/Spring Hop!

I will be honest and tell you that I am a flake and because of going away to the wedding and trying to post early, I don'thave all the links you will need to complete this hop.  Told ya, I'm a flake!

ALL of the deets are on the Creative Cowgirls Challenge Blog though, so please stop in there for the line up!

We were gifted with images from Chi Chi Memories!  And, I can't even tell you how excited I was to play with them!  WooHoo!

And, to top it off, Crafty Ribbons is supplying a selection of (yep, you guessed it) RIBBON for da winnah.

Now, for my card......lol...like I was going ot forget to post it (Don't laugh, I did once forget to past in the picture {flake})...

When fully closed, the little girl actually peeks around the flowers - wish you could see that, but I am sure y'all get the idea!!  I kept the left side solid white in case the giver would like to write a message!

Thanks for stopping by!  Don't forget to leave love at the rest of the stops on the hop! 

Huggz,
April

Happy Friday!

This week has really flown by for me!  Can't say that I have accomplished much, but the weekend is just about upon me and I am VERY excited to be going to my cousin's wedding tomorrow!!

Congratulations Heather and Dan!

I have no doubt that they won't see this ahead of time, or I surely wouldn't post it!

My card uses a set from Deedee's Digis called For the Happy Couple.  I used a different "Congratulations" than is included in this wonderful set so that I could personalize with their names in the same type set.  I mixed and matched various cream and gold papers to give this card lots of texture.  I colored just the flowers on the cake in shades of pink (Heather's choice for bridesmaids dresses) and used some gold paint from Stampin' Up to kind of dull the cream card stock on the front.  Huggz to kadie for giving me the idea to doodle a bit above and below our greeting~  I think it just makes the card that much more personal for my wonderful cousin!

Before you go, here are a couple more pictures of this card:

Thanks for stopping by~
Huggz,
April

Just a quick post tonight.  The day seemed to get away from me....maybe the week is getting away from me.  I am not sure who is having a harder time adjusting to my DH having a job, him or me??

Here is my card for the Delightful Inspiration progressive challenge~ the image is called 'Caught a Bug'.
Great image, Faith.  Thank you so much for this great opportunity!!

I used CS from SU! and very cool DP from Close to My Heart.  I colored the image with my Bic's and highlighted the jar with my Cool Shadow Copic.  I cut out the smaller ladybugs to be free standing and popped up the main image just to give the card some dimension.  I accented the diagonal corners with some rhinestones.

I do need to apologize to Faith and the DT over at Delightful Inspiration - I think I must be last every week and it truly isn't my intention....it just happens that way!

Thanks for stopping by~
Huggz,
April

Happy Monday

I am a bit late today.  Gonna blame it on my darling husband....lol...

It really is his fault, in a roundabout way!  I had a post ready, went to edit it and then  POOF!  So much for saving my work.  As my brother would say "That will learn ya!"

So, I was about to re-do my post when my DH came home this morning from the first day, oops, night at the new job.  It was a good one, for those of you wondering....lol

So, my card - it is for the new challenge over at Happy Monday Challenges.  You know, with the Deedee's Digis crew? 

Sorry about my picture - it was one of those weekends where computer time was limited!

Here is the sketch for the challenge - how did I do?  I think I took it too visually, but I so had my heart set on using that dp from Close To My Heart and the "Sweetest Flower" image that you can find here.



Before I forget - also need to shout out to Robbie of Buttons and Bows.  You won the $5 from this past weekend's blog hop.  If you would email me at aflowers67 [at] yahoo [dot] com I will send you a voucher code for your gift!!  WOOT WOOT and Congratualtions!!

Thanks for stopping by!
Huggz,
April

Happy Son-Day

Spring is here!  And, it has been bittersweet for me the past couple of years.  Tomorrow would have been my Mother's 87th birthday!  Happy Birthday, MOM!!  I know you can hear me from Heaven!

Taylored Expressions is a new Member Company over at SCS and offered up some freebies to celebrate!  They also offered up some chances to win! 

So, you know it, I downloaded the digis and created a card!

I used all scraps - I am back to using up what I have!!  The flower stickers were left over from a baby card I made ages ago and don't even remember where they came from; the cs was outta my pile and the ribbon came from Mike's 3 or 4 for a buck!!  I colored up the butterflies with my Bic's and punched out the sentiment with SU! oval punch!

Thanks for checking this out!
Huggz,
April

PS ~ Don't forget to stop by Deedee's tomorrow (Monday) to see if you won the $5 voucher to the store for leaving a comment here this weekend on the HOP!

Let's HOP....it's a Time to Bloom

It's finally here....Deedee's Digis Time to Bloom Hop!

I am so excited to be a part of Deedee's digis and hope you enjoy our creations as much as we enjoy inspiring you!

Spring is such a marvelous time of year! A time of warming weather, of lengthening days, and best of all, a time of vibrant colors and new life -- a time to BLOOM! Join the Deedee's Digis Design Team today as we celebrate the (almost) start of this very special season with a "Time to Bloom" blog hop!


If this is your first stop on the hop, be sure to visit the Crafting with Deedee's Digis blog, where you will find the directions for participating in the hop, a chance to win the grand prize of a $15 credit to our store, AND a little gift for you!

I used the wonderful new digi "Bee-lieve" and some Tim Holtz paper.  I also used some ribbon and bling that was a recent birthday gift and some bee brads!  The image was colored up with my Bic Mark-Its!

Your next stop on the hop is CEAL

Before you leave, please be sure to leave me a comment in order to be entered to win $5 in free digis of your choice from the Deedee's Digis store! You have until 12 noon Eastern Time on Sunday to comment. I will choose a random winner then, and all winners will be announced on Monday at Crafting with Deedee's Digis -- be sure to check back then to see if you've won. Thanks so much for joining us today, and may all the blessings of Spring be yours!

Here's the whole lineup, but if you get lost, you can always check in at the Crafting with Deedee's Digis blog!!

April  <<<<----you are here :-)

Ceal

Collette

Darsie

Deedee

Ellen

Jeanette

Jerusha

Kathy

Kelly C.

Kelly S.

Lawren

Lori

Melissa

Michele

Rhonda

Robin

Sandy

Sarah

Shelly

Stephanie

Tameko

Thanks for stopping today!  Don't forget to leave a comment for your chance to win!
Huggz,
April

Happy St. Patrick's Day to YOU!

Well, I was a bit bummed that I keep procrastinating on the Delightful Inspiration weekly challenge.  I had the image ready, but no card designed. 

I am so glad that I procrastinated!

This beautiful green day has brought our family some luck.  My DH has been unemployed for almost two years.  While he has worked part time, it hasn't been a permanent position; or a job he truly wants for the rest of his life!  Today he went for an interview and was offered a job!!  Needless to say, he accepted and starts on Sunday! 

This great news inspired my card today.  Not only because it is St. Patrick's Day, but because the luck of the Irish sure is shining on us today!!

The DP and CS is all from Close To My Heart, the angel is from Faith over at Delightful Inspirations and the clover stamp is from studio g.

Thanks for stopping by!
Huggz,
April

ps ~ Drop in tomorrow for a fun hop with the DTs of Deedee's Digis!!!!

Touche

 It's time to Duel it out!! Our theme this month is "Bring Out the Kid in You."  And, the challenge is to use something we'd find with toys....

Jeanette was out hostess this month and send a fabby-tabby kit!! 
It included: Image by Me and My Big Ideas; Kelly & Annie
                  Sentiment by Hero Arts; Good Friends
                  DP by DCWV (teal), EK Success (Scrabble) and My Mind's
                       Eye (floral)
                  Embellies: Darice rhinestones, Gartner Brides Table Confetti
                       paper flowers (not used), It's in the Bag silk flower (not
                       used), SU! Blushing Bride Stiched Polyribbon (not used),
                       a flower brad from an unknown vendor, and the Scrabble
                       tiles.

Here is my card!  I decided that an easel card would be best to show off the elements I chose to use.  There were so many things in the kit that I already have another card in the works....

And, to tell you how I undertook the challenge.  The three little blossoms on the right of the sentiment were made using melted crayons.  It is one of the fun things I remember doing when I was young - melting crayons on the edge of the road.  Before y'all have a fit over that - I grew up in the middle of nowhere and it was so long ago that traffic was almost non-existent....LOL  I admit that I melted the crayons in the microwave for this, but same priciple!

pleas

One last picture to show that Atlas was enamored with my card. 

She just had to have her picture taken~

Please take the time to visit the other Dueling Darlings!

Dazzlers          Divas

April (me)         Barb

      

Debbie              Carol

Jeanette             Jamie

Melina               Joan

Michelle                Judy

Paola                Kelly

Terry                    LJ

Darlene              Tami

Thanks for stopping by!

Huggz,

April

 

You turn me inside out.....

I love this week's challenge at the Happy Monday Challenge blog.  It is to show off the inside of your card.

This challenge features the Knight digi from Glitterbabe.  Have you checked out her digis?  They are so fun and versatile!!  We are priveleged at Deedee's Digis  to have Stef sponsor this week's Happy Monday Challenge!  And the winner this week gets 3 digis from her shop!!  We can't wait to see what your 'insides' look like!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Huggz,

April

CRIMINY

OOPS!!

Somehow, I didn't make a post to go off this am....BUT, here is the card for the Creative Cowgirl Challenge



The digi is from Delicious Doodles and our theme this time around is MONOCHROME!
I hope you can hop over to the Ranch and join our challenge this week!

Thanks for stopping by (my late posting),
Huggz,
April

HI!!

I finally feel some mojo and have been creating <--that's the good news...  But, everything I have been working on can't be shown yet....  Sunday, there will be a fun Creative Cowgirl Challenge to show off and I am glad my mojo didn't fail me for that one....lol

Today, I don't have a card, but rather a little crafty project.

Delightful Inspiration offered up its newest freebie called Lucky Bird.  I loved it on sight, loved how I colored it, but a card design just didn't come...so, I went looking for a challenge or two and The Crafty Ho's had one to make a "St. Patty's" project; and Card Ideas challenged to "recycle or go green."

I made a door hanger for my cousin!  And, I 'reused' things that would normally be trash~

The ring with the ribbons tied around it is....yep, the center ring from the tape for my ATG...and, the plastic holding the glitter around my Lucky Bird is....  the top from a canister of Pringles!  I had the wooden shamrocks left over from a previous wreath project!  I hope that you can tell from the pictures how cute it truly is ~ not sure they really do justice to the project!

Thanks for stopping by!

Huggz,

April

Did you think I got lost?

NEVER... I just had a busy weekend and didn't get a chance to upload anything.  I have also been working ahead on a few projects which I can't show off just yet!

Today is Monday and that can only mean one thing....

It's time for the HAPPY MONDAY CHALLENGE WITH DEEDEE'S DIGIS!

This week the challenge is to use PASTELS.

Easy peasy, you are thinking!

My card features "Christ is Risen" and was colored up with my Bic's and gel pens.  I do have to admit that it looks better in real life, since the cross glitters and is really highlighted.  I made it like a stained glass window and chose my colors to reflect the season!  The green is for the grass and blue, orange and  yellow for the grass and sun.  The pink and purple for The King.  I used some scraps from a recent baby album I made and used my nesties for some interest.  The corner is just some clear rhinestones.
Thanks for stopping by and I hope you check out the Happy Monday Challenge for yourself!

Huggz,
April

In need of Inspiration

I really dislike when your one 'great' idea doesn't come to fruitation!  I love the most recent digital image from Faith over at Delightful Inspiration.

I had it in my mind that "Daffodils" would stand alone on my card and then got fidgeting with it and then when back to keepin' it simple.  My husband asked where my 'beads' were, so almost went back to my table to add to it again, BUT CAS it stayed!

I hope you like it as is, but would love your suggestions!

Thanks for stopping by today!
Huggz,
April

oops, didn't give you any deets....all scraps and colored with my Bic Mark Its....make sure you enlarge the picture, IMHO the daffodils looks great! ;-)