Back to School and..............

............on a roll!!! OMG I haven't felt this good and felt this creative in a long time. I hate that it had to come on with 2 hospital visits, numerous tests and a lot of blood drawn but hey, I feel my crafting groove coming back!!! And no, I'm not going back to school but my card is ready for Back to School action!!!

I'm working with the Kenny K Digi Images again. This one is a free download though available at Kenny K Downloads so make sure you grab it before the end of September!!!

So, this card completes a few challenges that I found:

1. Kenny K's Krafty Girlz - Stitching

2. SCS Featured Stamper - Casing Kristen where I used this card, Sparkle Henry as my inspiration.

3. Stamping Vacation - Special Month Challenge - Sewing

4. Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Anything Goes



So in this pic you can kind of see some sparkle on the hoodie this little guy is wearing - his hoodie, backpack and shoes are all colored over with the Copic AtYou Spica pens and as with my other card, looks much better in person. Also, check out his pants!! I used B97 and B95 to color then...........get this, I learned it at my class to become a Copic Certified Designer, I took an old piece of denim jeans that Cait had made shorts out of, strapped it across my Tim Holtz inking tool, put a little Copic Blending Solution on it and "stamped" it to give the pants more of a "denim" feel. Now, if you try this let me warn you - COLOR THE PANTS FIRST AND NOTHING ELSE, STAMP IT WITH THE BLENDING SOLUTION AND LET DRY FOR A GOOD WHILE. Sorry for caps but in the class our instructor Jennie warned us that if we didn't do it this way that we'd ruin our image as EVERYTHING on the image would have the "denim" look. So, go try it and let me know how it turns out for you - if you do it please link it back to me so I can see!!!

I have to admit, it was AWESOME pulling out the sewing machine. No, I'm not using my little purple Singer machine that I adore, I'm using a new Singer that my hubby bought me last year and sadly, this is the FIRST time I've pulled it out to use!!! When I told him he stepped away from me (wise man lemme tell ya) and made a not so nice comment about how I just really NEEDED the machine last year so I could sew and how I am just NOW using it!!! Eh, it's all good because I just love how smooth it sews and stitches, boy howdy I don't know if I would ever use all 69 of them but your darn tootin' I'm gonnd try each out to see how they look!!! On the card I just used the basic stitch for now as I didn't want to screw up what I had worked hard on!!!

Here's my new, old baby!!!




Well, I think that is it for me this weekend. I feel like I've been in a whirlwind of creativity and dang it feels good!!! So, thanks for stoppin' by and happy scrappin'!

PS When I gave my blog an overhaul I lost ALL of my friends as well as my blog roll. I spent a good amout of time out of touch with friends and the blogs I used to love to stalk so I am desperately trying to make a list of all so I can find you and add you back. So, if you aren't here and you were at one time let me know, I'd love to add you back because I didn't "delete" everyone on purpose, I just didn't think when I overhauled and realized it just a tad too late..............

OK, off to watch the new HBO series "Boardwalk" with the hubby!!! Take care!!

The Spooks Come Out at Night!!!

So as with all things Karen, I am in LOVE with the Kenny K digi images and have used another already!!! This girl is known as Wanda Wicked and what better card to use her on than a Halloween card right?? I used the sketch challenge over at SCS this week, my first time to actually play along over there.

I also added a little "flair" to her but it doesn't show up in the pics. Copics were used to color the image (duh) but the flair was the newly introduced to me Copic AtYou Spica pens. I lightly colored over her dress with the Mint Copic AtYou Spica pen and then her lips with the Pink Copic AtYou Spica pen - again, you can't see it in the image but in person there is definitely a little sparkle.




This card was also used for the challenge over at Creative Card Crew - Autumn or Fall. Now typically when you think Autumn or Fall you think leaves, pumpkins, Thanksgiving dinners etc, but me, I think Halloween!!! I thought Wanda Wicked was just great to use for my Halloween thoughts!! I wonder who might get this card for her October 31st bday?? LOL

And................This reminded me of the challenge at Stamping Vacation which is Get the Music in You by using "Black Magic Woman" as your inspiration. The song definitely made me think Halloween and all things magic!!!

OK, off to work on something else. Feeling better sure has helped my creativity!!! Thanks for stoppin' by and happy scrappin'!!!

Top 3 - That's Me!!!

Woohoo!!! I should really be going to bed, and about 2 hours ago I said that was exactly what I was doing but....................I just popped over to the Kenny K's Krafty Girlz Challenge Blog because I just haven't been able to go to bed yet and wanted to see all the amazing creations to find the I won this week!!! They choose winners by one of the Randomizer's but hey, I won and that tickles me to death!!! I get to choose 3 of Kenny K's fabulous digi images as my prize!!!! And, I get to sport this fab little badge too!!!!



OK, off to make the tough decision of which 3 images I want and then, I promise I am going to bed. The hubby is already cranky with me because I didn't rest as much as I probably should have today but I've been bed/recliner ridden since last Thursday other than the two times in the hospital so feeling better def gave me incentive to get up and do something!!!

Night all, thanks for stoppin' by and happy scrappin'!!!

Back w/a Little Something

I've been wanting to craft and post for a while but the last week and a half I've been pretty down and out with two separate hospital trips and mandatory bedrest so not much has been done.

I did manage to get a few challenges done in one card tonite though - it's the first time I've felt crafty in a while so I don't say it is my best work but it definitely felt good to be doing something again!!! This card is for the following challenges:


Kenny K‘s Krafty Girlz - Embossing

Friday Sketcher‘s - Weekly Sketch

Stamp Something - Digi Stamp

Stamp It Crazy - Girly Girly

Scrap-It Creations - Gotta Go Digi





And a close up of my Kenny K Digi Girl Delore's D'ammage, she is so schmexy!!! I have to admit I've not been a huge fan of digi images in the past. I found Kenny K digi images when I went to the Copic Certification Class a few weeks ago and met one of the girls on his DT and boy did I fall in love with them!!! While being sick, I had asked my daughter to go to the site and download the monthly freebie so I could try them out and she saw all the gorgeous girlz and bought me 5 of them!!! I was so tickled and thankful, she really made my day with them even though it was a few days before I could print any out and play with them!!! Regardless, I am hooked. I just wish I could afford to get more but after two hospital trips I will be limited to the 5 she got me (yeah, that is 5 more than I would have had if she hadn't been so sweet right? LOL) until we get all the hospital bills paid off but once that happens, I am def gonna grab me a few more, there are about 7 more that I am just really really really wanting and then of course I'd love to have them all!!!



Update from our Texas trip:

Was a great trip but way to short unfortunately. On Saturday morning we met my parents at a little cafe in Midlothian for breakfast then back to their house for a little nap - we got off at 7 p.m. on Friday night, picked up the kids and drove straight through so we were a tad exhausted! Got up and went with my Mom and Cait to The Crafty Scrapper in Waxahachie - man it felt good to visit a great scrap store again. We met my BFF from high school's daughter and her boyfriend there then went back to my parents house where my BFF from high school came out to visit and then we all went out to eat Mexi food - yeah baby, Tex Mex how I miss thee!!!! Sunday morning it was up for breakfast with my parents then off to Springtown to meet up with Rob's family for his dad's retirement party from BNSF. Lots of family and friends and amazing food along with some great visiting then off to bed and up to head back home on Monday morning. So, as you see, a short but definitely fun filled trip to Texas!!! Here are some pics from our trip:

My Mom & Dad



My Mom, Dad, Me, Caitlin and Dylan



Cait & Jeff at Mom & Dad's



Cait, Jeff, Shelby & Brad



Me & Julie w/Jeff sneaking into the pic



My gorgeous hubby :)



My thirsty Daisy girl :p



Rob's Dad - All smiles because he is officially retired!!



Pop's retirement cake



Pop's retirement gift






Rob's Momma



Just some of the 14 racks of ribs we had, yummy!!!



Rob, Cory, Marc, Chuck & Deb



My hubby & nephew Bryan



The whole gang







And then here is a card I did a few weeks ago for one of the ladies I work with. She has been amazingly supportive and helpful during my day to day work and has provided lots of patience and advice/teaching to make me perform my job to the best of my abilities!!!





You can tell I love the easel cards right!!! LOL I do love making these, they aren't just a regular card as the recipient can display them on their desk, entertainment center, mantle or where ever they choose, I just love the look of them!!!

OK, it is way too late for me to still be up so I best get to bed. Thanks for stoppin' by and happy scrappin'!!!

PS I do have one layout I completed today as well but forgot to take a pic of it so tomorrow hopefully as I plan on doing a little more scrapping tomorrow too!!!!