Day 60 - What?! . . .

. . . Hmmm, what?! - The challenge to use 'What' - Day 60 was NOT really a challenge for me. When I saw the post - I knew EXACTLY what stamp I was going to use. Now, figuring out WHAT to do with the stamp was a little more challenging. So, I asked my oldest daughter (nearly 17) what she thinks of 'art-wise' when I use the word - 'what. . .'? Her thinking was nearly what I had in mind. Lot's of color - randomly thrown together - just: WHATEVER. This was really a fun card to make - of course, I played with ink for awhile before settling down and getting to the task of putting the card together. More on that in another post later. My BG is watercolor paper with random inks and flowers from my $5 find at the garage sale - I mounted this on Taken with Teal from SU. I had played with flowers yesterday - some of you will remember - so I added a bit of broken china distress ink to my flower and used stream alcohol ink to color the clear jewel for the center of the flower. I scrunched up ribbon to place behind the flower - I like this technique - it gives depth to the flower. I had fun leading up to putting this card together - backgrounds are SO fun to make and there are so MANY possibilities. Will share that later - as I have to run off to work today. I traded with a co-worker, which worked out fabulously as now I will be able to work at the Scrapbook Expo on Friday - ALL Day!! Fun! Fun!
Thanks for visiting in the spa today!! ~~Paula~~

So Dis-stressed over Missing You!!

Ok, so I am not REALLY distressed over missing ANYONE!! No one is missing - thankfully!! But I did have fun distressing this card for Day 59.
Have you heard of the core'dinations paper? Well, a couple months ago my friend Lori introduced me to this cardstock and I fell in love with it - so much so that I hoard it and seldom use it!! You know how that is! Well, I got out these prima flowers - they were white to begin with - a PERFECT color to start with as you can turn them into ANY color of ink that you have - to coordinate and match all those wonderful cards and Scrapbook layouts! Anyway, back to the card. I decided to layer the opposite color on the front - however, I embossed the wrong side. Well, not wanting to sand it to bring the color through, I decided to use the de-bossed side. I kind of like it that way too!! Now, how long has it been since you did TEARING?? Awhile for me - but it fits with the whole distressing thing. I also stamped a flower from a new set that I got at the garage sale last weekend - FULL of clear flowers! It brings just a bit more dimension to the flower. I might even add some stickles - we will see.
But for now - ENJOY!! ~~Paula~~

Still Trying to Catch Up. . .

. . .on the 365 Card Blog challenges. This 'cute as a bug' card was for the challenge on Day 30. We were to make a card using a ladybug as inspiration. Well, after doing yesterdays card (Day 58) I had the set out and it had a ladybug in it, so I figured, why not - I haven't done that challenge yet and the set is sitting right in front of me - so I went for it.

I actually did this card yesterday, but wanted to do more cards before uploading. I am working on other cards today - and have the challenge for today done - so watch for another post shortly.
As always, thanks for visiting. ~Paula

A Day off to Relax in the 'Spa'

Welcome to the Spa this morning - it is a lovely day here in San Diego. I have been looking at the Scrapbook Expo site this morning as it will be coming to San Diego this weekend. I just might head over there and take a peek. Wish I had MORE money to spend!! Ahh well - it isn't like I really NEED anything!!
So, I have managed to make the next card in the 365 card blog challenge. The Day 58 challenge was to create a card with a fish. Hmmm, Something Fishy!! Well, I knew several years ago I had made a 'fish' card in a Stampin' Up class, but knew I didn't have that card anymore. So, I went about in search of a stamp - not sure that I even had anything in my massive collection of stamps. Of course, now that I write this, I remember some other fish stamps - oh, well - the card is done.

I decided to use alcohol inks to create the marbled background. I just LOVE using this technique as you never know what you are going to get, and NO TWO backgrounds are the same, even if you use the same colors. Once my BG was dry (which was very quickly) I ran it through my CB folder. Then, in search of the cardstock to mount it on and discovered I am NEARLY OUT of SU colored cardstock - my favorite cardstock for making cards. Need to put out a wish to the WishRak over on the splitcoast site!! Anyway, back to my card. I managed to find ONE piece of blue cs that worked. I then did another BG and stamped the little fishies on that and cut them out. I added liquid pearl 'bubbles' and there you have it. A very fishy card!!
Thanks for visiting in the spa today. Have a relaxing day and come back soon. ~Paula

Happy Sunny Sunday!

Today was another Sketch challenge over at the 365 card blog. I have to work this afternoon, but managed to throw together this cute little card for Day 57.
I got the printed paper and brads at the Ever After garage sale yesterday. It is a line from Bo Bunny and I thought it was just so bright and spring-y. There was SO much stuff at that garage sale and I would have liked to have gotten more - but alas, I have to watch my pocketbook a little closer. Besides, Ever After is having a 25% off everything in the store on Friday and there is one item I particularly want to get!!
As always, thanks for visiting and commenting on my creations. ~Paula

Day 56 and work!!

Yesterday I was supposed to work - however, I had NO clients at all. Today began to look a little bleak too - however I JUST got a call and need to go into work. It may be for only one client, but that is ok. But before I go, I need to show you my Day 56 card. For this challenge we were to use acetate - or make a clear card. It could be the front, back or the whole thing. Well, I pondered this one all night (well, ok maybe not ALL night) but just didn't quite know what I wanted to do. After looking at some of the cards already posted I remembered a make-n-take I did on a bus tour last year. Well, I quickly pulled out the supplies (I liked the make-n-take so much I bought one of the items to reproduce the card) and created this card. It was SO fun and quick and easy!! Remember flocking? Yeah, that fuzzy stuff to give dimension to cards 'back in the day' - well I have many of the colors, including black. So, I took these 'class of peel' stickers from Stampendous and flocked the back of one. Then I ran it through my xyron and put it on the acetate which is folded over the white card. I added the checked ribbon to the white card and added another sticker - without flocking and then added the sentiment. Very simple - yet sometimes black and white can be elegant and that is what I think of with this card. Now, I wonder what my husband will think of THIS card - he thought my card yesterday was UGLY and not up to my standards - hmmm, I guess he DOES notice what I do!! :)
Thanks for taking a peek. ~Paula

Look what the morning brought!

I love roses. There is nothing more beautiful than the morning dew on a new rose opening up. What more can I say? Enjoy!

More Blog Candy

I found more blog candy in my searching today. Check out this blog: This and that

This blog candy is being given away for 5000 hits to the blog. Wouldn't that be nice? Hmm, I hit 500 and then some already, so it is quite possible. But gosh, I am learning that some of these blogs are hit quite alot! How cool is that? I can also understand WHY they are hit so much - SUCH creativity out there!!

Check out this Blog - Blog Candy too!!

I received another award from Audrey today. I will post that award as soon as I have done some blog surfing to find blogs to send that award too. I have just as hard a time finding blogs to send awards to as Audrey does!! But that is only because I am fairly new to blogging!!
Anyway, I wanted to share THIS blog as there is BLOG CANDY waiting to be won. Look at this picture of all the items that Debbie is giving away. One lucky winner will get all of these wonderful items!! The occasion? Her first blog anniversary! As for me? I would LOVE to have the copics. I haven't gotten any of these cool markers yet - they are a bit pricey - but take a look at what Debbie does with these? VERY NICE!!
I would love to learn how to use these and then teach others - now THAT would be cool!!

Today's Challenge - a 'Recipe'

I often call myself a 'recipe person'. I love to follow 'directions' on things and seldom deviate - as that would be against the rules. So, for today's challenge - Day 55 we were to use this 'recipe':

5x5 card (solid colored card stock - may be smooth or textured)
4x4 patterned paper (you may alter the edges if you'd like)
1 shape (circle, square, star, heart, etc.) - must be solid color
3 jewels
alpha stickers

Well, that is all good except when I got to the part about alpha stickers. I looked through my stash - I have rub-ons, but the recipe called for STICKERS. Well, I found a sticker sheet of words and shapes - but it said ALPHA!! So, I really had to dig deep into my stash, and I finally found something that was small enough to work for the word I wanted to spell out. Yeah, I couldn't be happy with simple words like: 'HI', or 'LOVE'!! I had to go for the bigger word!!

But the paper is SO pretty!! And it conveyed beauty to me, so that is what I wanted to stick with. These alpha stickers are from Basic Grey and I got them at Big Lots for $1 - what a find!! But they have been sitting around waiting for an opportunity to be used for many months! I decided to mount them on the orange (tangerine tango) rectangle (it's a shape!!) and then added the awful looking jewel. I really should have used alcohol inks on the jewels to coordinate better. Crystal is ok, but colored crystal is even better!!