Knit One, Purl One...

When I started this blog I had planned to include some post about my other hobby, knitting. I never seemed to get around to it. So, I've decided to include some pics of my knitting projects every now and then.

I learned to knit when I was about 12...a long time ago!! I never really learned to do anything but knit and purl. It really didn't interest me at the time. About five years ago my sister was visiting from Florida and she had learned to knit. That got me interested again and I've found that I really enjoy it. I've knit mostly shawls, wraps, scarves and cowls. I haven't tried socks or sweaters, but they're on my knitting bucket list. Here's one of the shawls that I knitted a few years ago for my friend Maggie's 6oth birthday. I recently used this pattern and the same yarn to knit a shawl for my BFF's mom who celebrated her 84th birthday.

Here is a another shawl I knitted for my friend Jan. It's a basket weave stitch.

 

 

I've done much more knitting than stamping this summer so I'll include some knitting posts every now and then. But I definitely plan to get back to stamping and paper crafting projects soon.

Anything Goes @ PTT!

I've had so much fun being a Party Planner the last six months, but sadly my term on the PTT  design team has come to an end. Before I go, I have one more challenge to share with you and - Anything Goes! Our sponsor this week is Paper Pretties. Here is my card...

 

 

 

Thank you to the talented Design Team at PTT and to Jenn the owner. It's been great working with you and seeing your fabulous projects!

 

Don't forget stop by and enter this week's challenge. Remember Anything Goes!

 

 

 

A Special Christening

Tomorrow my best friend Kathy's first grandchild is being christened. I wanted to make a special card for the event. Here's what I designed using the picture and cross from the invitation.

 

 

Thomas Christian Lauritzen

 

I'm so pleased with how it turned out and looking forward to sharing this special day with Kathy and her family.

 

It's a Color Challenge

This week's challenge at Party Time Tuesdays is a color challenge. Here's the inspiration...

Here's my card...

Our sponsors this week are Paper Addictions and Yours or Mine Paper Crafts.

Hope you'll join us in the challenge this week.

More than One Fold...

This week's challenge at Party Time Tuesdays is to create a design that uses more than one fold. I made a slanted tri-fold card using an image from this week's sponsor, Fred She Said called Marigolds & Morpho.

 

To make a slanted tri-fold card I cut the first and third panels in half diagonally from the top of the foldline to the bottom right and left corners. When the two outer panels are folded in over the center panel, they cross each other. I used ribbon to tie the card shut. I printed the digi image twice and colored one with Copics. I only colored the butterfly on the other, cut it out, and popped it up over the butterfly on the first image. When I decide on the sentiment, I'll stamp it on the top of the ivy DSP on the center panel so that you can see it when the card is closed. When the card is open there will be room for a hand written note.

Come join the challenge at PTT. We'd love to see your folded creations.

 

 

Play Ball!

The Hambo Hoedown challenge this week is to create a design that incorporates a pendant or a banner. I used Hambo Stamps' digi image Bat Boy  that I received free for playing in last week's challenge. Here's my card...

 

 

 

Isn't the background paper perfect for this image? It's printed vellum that I mounted on blue cardstock. I bought it a long time ago. I guess it's true...if you keep something around long enough, you'll eventually use it.

 

All Tied Up!

This week's challenge at Party Time Tuesdays is to make a Father's Day project. Can you believe that it's is less than two weeks away? I used this cute image from QKR Stampeded.

The image is called All Tied Up. I thought it went perfectly with the Father sayings paper that I've had forever and the tie paper that I bought recently.

 

Hop on over to PTT and join the challenge. Make a card for someone special.

Bubbles! Bubbles! Bubbles!

This week's challenge at the Hoedown is to use bubbles with any Hambo digi or rubber stamp. I looked through my Hambo stamps and found this funny image

 

It's Hambo Stamps Dentures and the sentiment is Getting Old Bites. There are bubbles in the glass and I thought the patterned paper looked like lots of colored bubbles. I made a big bubble from vellum and popped it up with part of the sentiment. Now to decide who to send it to....hehehe!!

Just Swinging By...

It's an Anything Goes challenge at Party Time Tuesdays. So I thought I'd swing by with my card...

 

Isn't this the cutest image? It's a digi image by Hambo Stamps called Monkey Vine. I colored the image for a Hambo Hoedown challenge to use punches, but didn't have time to make it into a card. I decided to finish it for PTT's Anything Goes challenge. I'm just in a monkey kinda mood lately. If you missed my monkey themed altered cigar box, check here.

Hop over to PTT's challenge blog and get some more inspiration from the other members of the design team. Then join in the challenge...anything goes! 

It's a Hoedown Hop!

Welcome to "The Battle of the Bands" sponsored by Hambo Stamps! Today Hambo friends and the Bacon Bits Design Team are bringing you fun creations that depict Band groups! It might be our favorite, or just one that was fun to design. If you arrived here from Isha's blog you are in the right place! If not, you might want to start back at the beginning at the Hambo blog to make sure you are eligible for the hopper prize!

A prize will be awarded to one participant whose band-themed creation tickles the Bacon Bits’ fancy in a hammin’ jammin’ way! Another prize will be awarded randomly to a hopper who comments on all of the blogs along the way. The winners will be announced on the Hambo company blog, Talk to the Ham, on Wednesday, May 29, as well as at the Hambo Hoedown challenge blog. We love comments anytime, but the deadline for prize entry comments is Sunday, May 26 at 5 PM CST. Don't miss it!
Now for my creation, an altered cigar box ...

Hey, hey, we're the ...

 

 

 

The Monkees are an American-British pop band that released music from 1966-1970. They also had a TV show from 1966-1968. Since then they've had a number of reunion albums and still do tours. Some of their songs are Hey Hey We're The Monkees, I'm a Believer, Daydream Believer, and Last Train to Clarksville.

 

To alter my cigar box, I used Hambo's Silly Monkey. He's a perfect match for a paper stack that I bought a few years ago called Cheekee  Monkee by Paper Studios. Here's a side view...

 

 

 

and the top....

 

 

Guess where I used Hambo's I Made this sentiment. On the bottom! I thought it added a whimsical
signature to my box.

Now jam on over to Lori's blog for another great Band group that will have you tappin' your foot!

Here's the line-up in case you get lost along the way...

Talk to the Ham - Hambo blog http://hambostamps.blogspot.com/
Sherry http://bitsofcheer.blogspot.com/
Lyn http://mypurplehouse.wordpress.com/
Kecia http://stampingdeets.blogspot.com/
Deborah http://beadnstampn.blogspot.com
Deanne http://littlebitopaper.blogspot.ca/
Isha http://hobbyandideas.blogspot.com/

Paula http://heyheypaula-heyheypaula.blogspot.com/

Lori http://smilingwhilestamping.blogspot.com/

Jenn http://jaxbeanstalks.blogspot.com/
Jane http://janeelizabethssworld.blogspot.co.uk/
Sue http://cardandjewelrycorner.blogspot.com/
Kendra http://kendrawietstock.blogspot.com/
Judy http://jarfullofjoy.blogspot.com/

We Click

It's time for a Cool Shades Challenge on Sparks, Paper Smooches' challenge blog. The colors this month are red, kraft, navy and teal. Here's my card...

The image and sentiment are from Perpetual Bliss by Paper Smooches. The DSP is from SU's Big Top Birthday collection. I colored the image with my Copics, C00, C1, C3,  and C5. I added some black pearls to the camera and a clear pebble sticker on the lens.  Some twine and a tag finished my card.

Thanks for stopping by.

Needle Little Love

It's color/photo challenge week at Party Time Tuesday's Challenge Blog. Here are the colors...

Here is my card...

 

I love this Paper Smooches set called Needle Little Love. It includes lots of stamps that can be used in so many different ways. I love the stamps that look like stitching. It also has some stamps that are perfect for paper piecing like the sewing machine. Did you notice that I wrapped the spool with real thread! I love how it turned out.

So hop on over to PTT and join the challenge. It's fun and you might win a prize.

Wild About You!

 I've vowed to use some of my older stamp sets that haven't seen the light of day in awhile, so I pulled out Wild About You by Stampin'Up to make a card for this week's challenge at Party Time Tuesdays. The challenge is to make a shaped card...any shape, just not a square or a rectangle. Here's my card...

I cut the corners of an A2 sized cardbase to make it look like a tent top and added a striped awning. The background was made by repeatedly stamping the sentiment. I added some paper piercing around the elephant and up the elephant's ear. This will be a perfect card for one of my granddaughter's.

Hop on over to PTT  Challenge Blog and join the fun. Show us your shape!!

A Hambo Sketch

This week it's a sketch challenge at The Hambo Hoedown.. Here's the sketch...

 

 

and here's my card...

 

I used Hambo's Elephant stamp along with Gray Wrinkled Thing sentiment. The inside says "Happy Birthday". This will make a perfect card for one of my "older" friends!

Happy Mother's Day

The Party Time Tuesdays challenge this week is to make a Mother's Day card. I used a cute turtle family digi image from Whimsy Doodles with some sparkly spring time paper from SEI and a rhinestone button from Miriam's Crafting Supplies.

 

 

 

I hope that all of the moms that I know get to spend sometime with their families on Sunday. Don't forget to give them hugs and kisses and tell thaem how much you love them!

A B C D E F G ...

The challenge at the Hambo Hoedown this week is an ALPHABET CHALLENGE.Use any Hambo image, digi or rubber, choose a letter of the alphabet, then use 2 or 3 things that start with that letter. Here's my card. Can you guess what letter I chose?

I used Hambo's digi image Geranium. I printed it twice and colored it with my Red Copics. Then I cut out one image and popped it up over the other image. I scored lines around the image to frame it. I don't usually use big bows on my cards, but this needed something at the bottom to balance the image so I added Ribbon and a bow and a button with a Rhinestone center. My letter was R!

PTT Challenge

It's Anything Goes on the Party Time Tuesdays Challenge blog.  This week the design team used some cute images from our sponsor  Stamp Fairy. I used adorable Spring Barry to make my card...

 

I love this little bear image. He's perfect for cheering up a friend or just to say "Hello".

 

Be sure to check out what the rest of the Party Planners created. Then join in the fun. Anything goes!!

Tic Tac Toe...

Three in a row! That's the challenge at Party Time Tuesdays this week. Here's the Tic Tac Toe card...

 

 

I used the items down the middle. Here's my card using rhinestones and black pearls on the front ...

 

 

 and twine inside!

 

 

The image, Brew Your Coffee,  is from Paper Pretties. I used stickers from SRM to decorate the front. Inside I used a sticker and a small glassine bag also from SRM to make a holder for the gift card, from Starbucks, of course!

 

 Click here to check out projects by the rest of the DT. Then come on over and play Tic Tac Toe with us. Be sure to have the PTT badge displayed on your blog to be eligible to win prizes.

Color/Photo Challenge

It's time for the April Color/Photo Challenge over on Party Time Tuesdays challenge blog. Here's the inspiration...

 

 

Here's my project...

I used the English Teacup image from one of our sponsors, Robyn's Fetish Digital Stamps & More, to make a thank you card. I attached the sentiment with some twine to make it look like a teabag. Like my stitching? It's stickers from another one of this week's sponsors, SRM Stickers. Click here to check out projects by the rest of the DT and join in the fun. Be sure to have the PTT badge displayed on your blog to be eligible to win prizes.

A Beachy Treat

My granddaughters stay with us at our condo at the beach every summer. I always have a treat for them when they arrive. When they were little it was easy...a new Barbie or My Little Pony or small toy or stuffed animal. Now they are 10 and it's a little more challenging. They love to go to the Boardwalk and to the Arcades. For Party Time Tuesdays Anything But a Card Challenge, I decided to make a tag and treat box that will hold some money and a roll of quarters so they can have a fun time playing games and eating junk food on the Boardwalk!

For my beachy tag and treat box I used Daisy Flip Flop image from Oak Pond Creations and a clear pillow box and stickers from SRM, two of this week's challenge sponsors. I tore Kraft paper for the sand, punched and stamped blue cardstock for the water. I glued them onto Confetti Cream cardstock, making it larger than the die. Then I cut through all the layers with the die. I printed the Daisy Flip Flops image on patterned paper and colored on it with Copics. The sentiment and cute pennants are stickers. I inserted some beachy patterned paper inside the clear treat box and added some ribbon and twine. I only made one so I need to make another one with purple flip flops for my other granddaughter. When you have twins in the family you get used to doing everything x 2 but you also get twice the hugs and kisses as thank yous!

I've entered my project in Oak Pond Creations' Birthday Bash Challenge. Check here for details and join the fun. You might win a fabulous prize!

Celebrate Spring!

Spring is here, we hope!  Time for sunny weather and no more snow! This week's challenge at Party Time Tuesdays is celebrating Spring with Ribbons & Blooms. Let's see your projects featuring beautiful ribbon AND flowers and blooms! Here's mine...  

 
My project uses a cute cat image from Kenny K. Isn't she sweet? I love her smile. Using stickers on a card was a first for me. These colorful border stickers from SRM made my card quick & easy. Now I'll add stickers to my crafting. Hop on over to PTT and play along with us for a chance to win some prizes from our sponsors, Kenny K Downloads, Sweet Shoppe Designs, and SRM Stickers. Celebrate Spring. Show us your ribbon & bloom projects.

Birthday Monsters

It's that time again at Party Time Tuesdays, ANYTHING GOES.  I stamp regularly with a group of wonderful, very talented ladies. About every other month we get together for a Shoebox Swap, a fun day of stamping, eating & laughing. I decided to use this challenge to design a card for a Shoebox Swap that I am participating in. The theme for the SBS is masculine cards, kids, teens, adult males. I made a monster birthday card for a little boy or a big boy!

 

 

Lots of wiggle eyes and paper piecing! I used Make a Monster by Stampin'Up. I pulled out my Canvas background stamp to add some texture. I really should use those background stamps more. The border punch is made by Martha Stewart. I'm not sure of the name of it. I call it the slime punch. This was a fun card to make and will be perfect for the next kid's card I need.

 

Hop on over to PTT and get some inspiration from the other Party Planners. Then show us some of your creations. Remember ANYTHING GOES!

PTT Color Challenge

Just in time for Spring, Party Time Tuesdays is having a color challenge with these pretty pastel colors

 

Here's my card using The Paper Nest Dolls digi image Easter Avery.

 

 

IRL this card has a lot of sparkle! The flowered background paper is glittery. The pink glitter card stock that I used for the image  mat and border are from The Robin's Nest along with the pretty pink and blue dew drops. Paper Nest Dolls and The Robin's Nest are sponsoring this weeks challenge. Be sure to check them out for some really cute images and crafting supplies.

A Little Thumb Thing Green!

At the Hambo Hoedown this week the challenge is to incorporate scallops into your design.  I decided to make a little thumb thing for my granddaughters for St. Patrick's Day...

I used scalloped ovals and borders and Hambo's Fingerprint and Little Thumb Thing stamps. The hat stamp is from the Stampin'Up set Snow Buddies. I drew on the facial features and arms and legs. Then I attached the card front to a plastic box so it opened like a book.

 Inside I put a little thumb thing green to wear and a little thumb thing green to spend!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Luck of the Irish

Party Time Tuesdays is celebrating with the GREEN this week. The challenge is to make cards and projects that reflect St. Patty's Day. What better way to celebrate than a chance to win some green...money! I made a twisted card that holds scratch off lottery tickets.

 I used a sentiment from the Cutting Cafe file called Lucky Me on the front and a $1 stamp from the craft store inside.   I love making twisted cards. If you missed my Christmas twisted card check here. If you would like to try one, you can find an excellent how-to video by Kelly Gettelginger here They're easy to make and perfect for holding small items such as gift cards, lottery tickets, money, pictures, etc. , .   I hope the recipient of my twisted card is lucky and wins some green!  

Submitted to the following challenges:

http://www.creativeinspirationspaint.blogspot.com/

http://simplycreatetoo.blogspot.com/2013/03/challenge-32-st-patricks-day-or-use.html
http://cardmakinmamas.blogspot.com.au/

Oh Blarney!

The Hambo Hoedown is full of Blarney this week! That's right...this week's challenge is to use Monkey Irish, any other Hambo image, or any image of your choice and  incorporate rainbow colors in your project. I used Monkey Irish that I got free for playing in last week's challenge, and used rainbow colors and rainbows on my card.

 

I thought this paper was perfect for the challenge. I used 5 different colors of twine for a rainbow effect. Did you know that a small scalloped oval makes a good cloud! This will make a perfect St. Patty's Day card for someone special.

 

Now for a real challenge, try kissing the Blarney Stone! The famous Stone is set in the wall of the of Blarey Castle 83 feet above the ground. To kiss it you have to lean over backwards (grasping an iron rail) from the parapet walk of the battlements.

 

 Here I am getting ready to kiss The Blarney Stone...

 

 Here's my hubby kissing The Blarney Stone...

 

We did it!!

 

Submitted in these challenges:

 http://sweetnsassydigis.blogspot.com/
http://simplycreatetoo.blogspot.com/2013/03/challenge-32-st-patricks-day-or-use.html
http://cardmakinmamas.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/challenge-time.html
 

Use those Die Cuts!

The challenge at Party Time Tuesdays this week is to use those dies cuts!! That's right, create a project with die cut shapes. The cute digi image I used is from The Paper Nest called Sewing Avery.

I used my Spellbinders die to make the mat for the image. I cut 3 squares all the same size with the die - 2 black & one from DSP. I glued the black shapes overlapping behind the DSP shape leaving enough to make a border. I think it looks kind of like it's been cut with pinking shears. Then I found some cute DSP with spools of thread and added a button and some colored twine.

Hop o over to PTT and see what the other Party Planners have created to inspire you. Join in the challenge and you might win some freebies from our sponsors - The Paper Nest, The Robin's Nest and Papelito's Stamps.

Smile...It's Hoedown Time

The Hambo Hoedown challenge this week is to create a design that incorporates both a LARGE and a SMALL element in your project. I used Hambo's Gator  & Crack a Smile to make this card.

 

My LARGE and a SMALL elements are the circles...a large circle behind the image, small circles for the sentiment and teeny tiny circles made by the paper piercing. What a fun challenge.

Anything Goes at PTT

I have the most wonderful husband! He takes really good care of me and supports my crazy crafting addiction! When I saw the new Art Impression set called Tina , I knew I  had to have it to make him a special card. So for this week's Party Time Tuesdays Anything Goes Challenge,  I made  this card for my sweetie...

 

Here's the rest of the sentimet on the inside...

 

 

Hop on over to PTT and join in the challenge...Anything Goes!

PTT Color Challenge

It's color challenge time at Party Time Tuesdays. Here's the color scheme for the challenge...

 

 

Here's my card...

 

  

For my design I used a digital image by one of PTT's sponsors, Eureka Stamps. The image is called Butterfly & Bluebonnet. I decided to color the image with my C1, 3, & 5 Copics to give the impression of a black and white photograph. Then I used the burgundy colors on the butterfly to give a pop of color. Come play with us at PTT and show us what you can design with these colors. You might win a prize!

 

Another way to be a winner is to join in PTT's 1000 Follower Give Away. Become a follower on Google, Network, Facebook,  and/or Twitter. You might win a $20 gift certificate for Paper Nest Dolls, our sponsor for March. Or you could win a grab bag of crafting goodies. You can find all of the details are here.