Imagine...

Welcome back!

I have today a beautiful image from a new artist at Squigglefly and her name is Gayle Seach. When I received this digital stamp I fell in love with it. The history that lays in this Bush Shack speaks volumes. Really makes you sit back and imagine what life would have been like living here. I couldn't wait to color it up and it needed to fit the challenge happening at Squigglefly this week of Pink and Black Combo! Might be a bit hard to see, but I've added pink hues to the sunrise just above the trim of the roof.  Loved placing this plaque of imagine below it because that's exactly what it made me do.

I find myself often staring into the fields and woods when we're on a long drive and when I see old dilapidated buildings, they speak more of a history and era of time I'll never truly understand and it makes me wonder what life would have been like back in the day.

Here is a photo of an old abandoned home in Kansas.  Can you imagine living in these deep woods with no electricity, no running water and just you and nature coinciding side by side and totally dependent upon yourself for survival. We are all so blessed today, but what a life it had to of been.

Here is another photo.

 More than 150 years after the last wagon train traversed the Santa Fe Trail, these swales (deep ruts) can still be seen in Douglas County, east of Baldwin City.

It's truly unbelievable to stand out here in the middle of nothing and see the actual wagon wheel ruts. To bend down and touch them and imagine carrying all your belongings, your family  and venturing forth for a new life in the middle of nowhere and no civilization for miles....truly inspiring and makes you realize the strength of the human spirit to endure all the hazards and miles they traveled.

So thanks to Gayle for bringing back those wonderful memories and for preserving history in her beautiful artwork.  

Sadly, this will be my final post for Squigglefly as I am stepping down, but I've truly enjoyed the journey with you all and thank you so much for the amazing opportunity to DT alongside all these fabulous crafters and artists. You all will be missed!

Hugs n' Happy Stamping,

Lisa xx

Remember Pink and Black Combo 

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Never Lose Your Sense Of Wonder....

Hello all you wonderful and crafty people and welcome back to my blog.

Let me first start by saying that this project is for Squigglefly who is hosting an inspiring challenge this week of Have A Heart! 

Show us something with hearts.  

I was so happy to receive this little image called Strut Your Stuff by artist Lynne Stansbery and as soon as I saw it, I knew she couldn't be contained on a card. Her personality and spunk had to go BIG!

Following the image's loud and proud lead, I used a cutting file from the Silhouette Studio called 3D Platform Stiletto Box and then went bonkers.  I chose to color her in Copic shades of red as I see red being a very assertive and positive color. Some may view this hue with angry connotations like, "I'm seeing red" but for me that simply means you have awareness and clarity; albeit, of an unfortunate situation. 

This tiny tot has sass and certainly a drive of wonder and curiosity and she carries herself with confidence. This doesn't mean she won't take four steps and trip in those heels, but the moral of the situation is that she dared to try. That attribute comes from the heart and fuels the soul and I this is how I wanted to portray her and along the way, encourage myself to always wear my own pair of hypothetical red stilettos.  Because good grief, let's be real, stilettos with yoga pants are a complete fashion faux pas! 

So whether you're a red stiletto, thigh high black leather, kit shicker wearin' or all out combat boot type of person, Strut Your Stuff and certainly NEVER lose your sense of wonder!

Please join us at Squigglefly and show us some hearts too. Also, stay tuned for our newest artist Gayle Search joining Squigglefly in February!

Thank you so much for your visit and I hope you're leaving with some inspiration.

Hugs n' Happy Crafting,

Lisa xx

I Choose You...

This image is so wonderful. 

It's called Oh, Please Be Mine from the ever amazing artist Lynne Stansbery and  fits perfectly for our challenge over at Squigglefly of Winter Blues. You can make a winter themed card or a card that focuses on the color blue or combine the two.  I decided that the wonderful image needed to be the very prominent feature so I pierced holes all the way around the die cut heart and crocheted a blue frame. Added several blue variation flowers and a matching sentiment at the bottom. The heart is actually mounted on foam squares so that it can be removed and hung anywhere that the recipient chooses.  

So many terrific options to choose from on this challenge so we'd love for you to visit. Here's one more bit of  handy dandy news too.

Squigglefly Reward Program

The reward program is free to join and is a great way to earn free images. For every $15.00 you spend you will earn a free image. You can use the free image immediately, or save up and go for a big splurge one day. They never expire. Another thing that's really great is that if you are just now finding out about the rewards program, and you've already purchased images - Squigglefly will credit you any money spent in the current month! So stop in and see the incredible images from Lynne Stansbery and ALL the other fabulous array of talented artists!

Have a brilliant and creative day,

Lisa xx

Is It? Is It Really??

YES, winter is wonderful!!  

That is of course if you are looking out at it from the inside of your cozy warm house.

If you've been a regular to my blog, you'll know that I am not fan of heat, so feeling the cooler temperatures and awaiting the new fallen snow is something I anxiously anticipate each year; however, there is a down side. I am not, and this can be verified by pretty much anyone who knows me, or has ever been in the same vicinity as me, when I step outside INTO it.  I look like Bambi on the ice. The most ungraceful person on planet earth.  Yet, somehow I manage to pull it off like it was completely planned and choreographed that way.  Or at least I tell myself that.

This card is made to resemble my ineptitude in inclement weather!

The wonderful artist Fawn Palmer has provided Squigglefly with this enchanting little owl titled, A Winter Owl Too as well as the sentiment.  Ummm, little side note...the original image is upright on the limb, but to add a little humor and realistic touch, I decided flipping it over would be more an apropos resemblance to myself and of course, the fitting and wee bit of sarcasm in the sentiment.

Please join us over at the Squigglefly Challenge Blog for our current challenge of

Tell Me Anything!

(It's an anything goes challenge BUT it has to include a sentiment) 

Squigglefly has tons of $0.99 sentiments and often they come with an image.

I hope you've enjoyed my card and for more inspiration, please pop over to the challenge and see what my other fabulous teammates have created.

Hugs n' Happy Stamping,

Lisa xx

And a Teddy in a Topiary Tree...

 I'm so happy you could stop in today!

The holiday season is definitely among us and the Christmas cards are flowing in which is exactly what the challenge theme over at Squigglefly is....Winter Wonderland!!

What's different about this little cutie? Well, it's not exactly a holiday image, BUT thanks to stickles, red and green markers and holiday papers, this adorable Topiary Ted by artist Diane Carubia has been turned into a little Santa bear trimming up his holiday car tree complete with lights!

We would really love to have you visit and while you're there, enjoy the most wonderful creations by my teammates and see what Squigglefly artistists they are featuring.

Hugs n' Happy Stamping,

Lisa xx



Not my gumdrop buttons!!!

Yes, I'm quoting Shrek..love that movie! 

Fear not little gingerbread man, all is safe and sound here in your decked out gingerbread house, complete with gumdrop candies, candy canes and lollipops.  We've even got a cozy fire in the fireplace all for you!

I've managed to make my fourth Christmas card now and it's all thanks to the wonderful artists at Squigglefly. This particular house was drawn by Jane Beljo and available here if you'd like to make yourself a nice little refuge for gingerbread people too.  There's also a new challenge over at Squigglefly and they'd love to see your Ribbon or Bows!

So stop on in and say hi and while you're there, enjoy a nice cup of milk and a gingerbread cookie on us!

Sshhhhhh.... ;)

Hugs n' Happy Stamping,

Lisa xx

Shadow Box Ornament Card

 Mother nature is being so fickle at the moment. The last four months were arid like the Sahara, the past few days have been a monsoon and then a little teaser of cool weather, but oh no....don't get excited, it's back to blistering, no...wait...now it's freezing.
  I'm as confused as a baby in a topless bar!  But one thing I'm certain of, the challenge happening over at Squigglefly where we want to see POLKA DOTS!   Dots, dots n' spots. You got 'em? Then hand 'em over...we can't wait to see what you dream up. 
Here's the card I designed in between running to grab my parka and then speed changing into a swimsuit and then back to bundling up in my snuggie. 

This is a polka dotted shadow box card; which technically, I think is supposed to house the image in the back of the card, but I wanted you to be able to see the detail of  Lynne Stansbery's Ornament 4, so I've suspended it from the front, leaving only a true shadow in the back.  The Christmas floral and berry arrangement are mostly from Tim Holtz's Festive Greenery Die and a MS snowflake punch.

Ornament was colored in Derwent Watercolor pencils, highlighted with dots of stickles and ribbon glazed in clear accents.  

 

Please join us for some Dot fun at Squigglefly!
And while you're there, stop in and say hi to the wonderful DT and our new artist to the team Keith Williams. 

Hugs n' Happy Stamping...

Lisa xx



Ridiculously Amazing Day...

 I'll be honest, I will pass on the lady that jumps out of a cake, for my birthday, BUT... I would be thrilled with a giant slice that I could jump into!  Which is why this little image, Polly's Slice Of Cake from Squigglefly, artist Cheryl Alger, tickled my funny bone.  She's elbow deep in chocolate fudge and obviously having a ridiculously amazing birthday. Sentiment is from Ginger's House.  

 

 

I can't wait to kick off this next linky party happening over at Make It Monday, so I won't keep you long, but thank you so much if you contributed to the excellent creativity I thoroughly enjoyed looking at last week.  Here's an entry that stood out to me that I'd like to share.

PICK OF THE WEEK!

Isn't this something! Look how Jan has created this crack in the brick wall and made the sentiment to fit perfectly.  What a fun and inspiring card.  To read more about this, please visit her blog

 She's gone Digital

 

Stop in and say hi to the sweet DT and see what they've been up to this week too!

 

 Make It Monday

 Our Wonderful Sponsor

 Prize: It's Your Birthday Rubber Stamp

 

Hugs n' Happy Stamping...

Lisa xx

 

 



Feel The Butterflies...

What makes your tummy get all flip-flopped and happy inside? Is it that untouched container of your favorite ice cream just waiting to be sampled, or a giant strawberry you're getting ready to plunge into a fountain of chocolate, or is it when you've dreaded opening the dryer only to find that you've already folded the laundry and there's nothing there!  Or, is it that special someone who's always had your heart and no matter what you've been through or will go through, they always make you feel butterflies?   Well, since you probably won't give a card to a pint of ice cream or a half eaten strawberry, and probably not the fluff cycle on your dryer...here's a card you could give to that special someone.

This image is called Butterfly Beauties by the Artist Diana Garrison.  I've designed this card with a fitting sentiment as well, seeing as how the current challenge happening over at Squigglefly is...

SPEAK TO ME

All you have to do is add a sentiment to your card...it's that simple!!

I've taken the image and printed it out onto Vellum paper, flipped the image over and colored it with copics and then added a 1" circle for the moon.  Flipping the image right side up, I adhered it to a measured piece of sheet music.  The final step was then to layer all of that onto a light yellow sheet of cardstock.  Setting that aside, I cut a piece of Kraft paper, rounded the edges, folder embossed and inked.  The third blue layer is brown cardstock, plate embossed, inked with TH DI, dabs and smears of gesso and then lightly sanded.   The final card base is basic white, inked with TH Vintage DI and then sanded to erase the ink on the very edge and re-expose the white.  A couple roses were glued to 2 flourishes to complete the trail of red roses while a bow of twine holds the perfect free sentiment from Ginger's House.

One last closeup view of

Butterfly Beauties

 That's all for me today, but we'd love for you to join in our challenge at Squigglefly and while you're there, be sure to check out all the hard work the entire two teams have done for your inspiration.

Squigglefly

Hugs n' Happy Stamping...

Lisa xx

Doin' The Happy Dance...

She's sassy, she's feisty and she's doing the happy dance!

Welcome back to my blog and I hope you enjoy looking at

 The Old Gray Mare from the artist Lynne Stansbery

 at Squigglefly.  Isn't she a hoot?! 

If you haven't checked out the challenges at Squigglefly yet, you're going to love this one.  This weeks challenge is to use a....

RECIPE

Here's the skinny...you have to use all three of these items on your card

1) Ribbon or Lace  2) Brad or Eyelet  3) Die Cut - see specifics here.

There are 2 other sentiments that come with this image, but I really needed a congratulations card and so I've used the wonderful sentiment from Create With TLC and one personally generated sentiment on the PC. 

Thank you so much for your visit and all your very kind comments.

Happy Stamping...

Lisa xx

Squigglefly Shop

Squigglefy Challenge Blog



Who's That Sexy Beast?

I know once you look at this image you're gonna wanna sing it. It's okay, go ahead, I'll even start...

"Come listen to story about a man name Jed.

A poor mountaineer, barely kept his family fed,

Then one day he was shootin' at some food,

And up from the ground came a bubblin' crude.

Oil that is, black gold, Texas tea..."

Oh my gosh...I loved that show!!!

ANYWAY...she's not Granny Clampett, but she could be a sister to her, I reckon.

This here is the adorable artwork image by Nate Owens called Rolling Pin Granny. 

She's been all perty-ficated in copics.

 I was so happy to receive an email from a wonderful challenge blog asking if I'd like to be a part of their DT crew.  I had to take a look around first and once I saw this image, I was HOOKED! So, obviously I said "no way"..KIDDING..I said yes and here is my first showing for Squigglefly.

I had no idea what her little expression might be saying, but once I found this sentiment free at Ginger's House, I couldn't resist!

Thank ye kindly fer callin'...

"Ya'll come back now, y'hear?"

Squigglefly

Over 20 artists and tons of images!

Hugs n' Happy Stampin'...

Lisa xx

Challenges I would like to enter this card into:

Papertake Weekly - Bingo (Ribbon,Free,Blooms)