2010 Wrap Up - Eye Candy and Blog Candy!

Diane at Rubber 'n Rafters sent me this Stylish Blogger Award - what a great way to end the year!  Along with this award came the instructions to tell 8 things about yourself.  I decided to let my cards do the talking  - thought you might enjoy a look back at some of my 2010 creations  - the good, the bad and the downright ugly!

Let's start with The Good:

1.  Tea and cake are my two favorite food groups.......

2.  I love using Designer Paper on my cards........

3.  I am a minimalist at heart..........

4.  I taught elementary school for over 30 years and when the leaves start to turn I still long to go set up my classroom for the upcoming year.........

5.  I am an avid reader and I love an unexpected twist in a plot - and an unexpected twist in a card.........

6.  I love serendipity - the good surprises!  When I signed up to be a demo, I had no clue where it would all lead - and how many terrific people I would "meet" in cyberspace!  So thanks to all of you for your encouragement, support and friendship.........

The Bad:

7.  I am not artistic at all and have many areas to improve upon - like balance and proportion.  I don't know what is worse that huge out-of-whack bow or that lopsided red flower........... 

And now The Downright Ugly!

8.  Sometimes I just don't know when to throw in the towel and start again!  I use all of my cards and usually make them with a specific person in mind.  I was determined to make a key on this "Congrats on your new home" card.  It is a disaster on many levels -  I never did send it out!

And if you made it this far you deserve a reward!  Leave me a comment for a chance to win the clear mount set - Eggcoutrements.  Trying to make a key just put me over the edge - I have never used the set since!  I'd love to see what you do with it for Easter!  Best wishes for a Happy 2011!

I'll announce the blog candy winner on Wednesday, January 5th!

Pals Paper Arts Best Dressed List 2010!

Pals Paper Arts is proud to announce its Best Dressed List for 2010! This is a collection of our favorite paper creations from the Pals Picks in 2010. I got the honor of starting the list with my favorite pick in January.  It wasn't easy to choose just one - but I did!

 Marlene Peters started the year out right with this wonderful Valentine treat!  Bandit in a Box is a fabulous combination of designer series paper, stamping and embellishing.  And then there is that delightful surprise inside!

More surprises are in store at PPA in 2011 - our new challenges start next week!  In the meantime head on over to Pals Paper Arts to see the entire Best Dressed List from 2010!   

A Merry Christmas........PPA74.....

The closer it gets to Christmas the simpler I want things to be!  Thank you Margaret for posting a sweet simple challenge sketch at Pals Paper Arts this week.  Thank you to Stampin' Up! for making such beautiful designer paper so I could "Deck the Halls" in a snap!  And thank you to Maile Belles our guest designer this week at PPA.  Her work is just beautiful and she likes the simple life as well.  Her blog is called Simply Stamped but I do take exception with that title - I would call it Simply Stunning!

Happy Birthday........to me!

My daughter said last week the day after her birthday:  "Being the Birthday Girl is exhausting!"  Yesterday was my birthday and today I agree with her.  But any day that involves presents and cake is a great one!  I thought I would share with you some cards I received from some of my best stamping pals....

Barb, my walking partner and stamping cohort, sent me this beautiful blue wintry card. The wish really means we wish for those flakes to stay away until we get our morning miles done!

Then the California Girl herself sent me these wonderful dancing flowers!  Yep Patti MacLeith lives in the Golden State - not a flake in sight!

Carla Bazhenow created this buttoned-down beauty that will remind me all winter that there really are flowers waiting under all that snow!

This stylish, classic card with the sweet sentiment came from Mary Fish.  I'm keeping it handy so if anyone in my family gives me a hard time I am going to wave this around  :-)

See you Thursday with this week's Pals Paper Arts challenge........I hear there will be a Celebrity Guest Artist!

A Christmas Greeting......PPA73.....

Pals Paper Arts challenge this week is to use lace on your card.  I put my lace in place under Tiny Teacups set against Jolly Holiday DSP.  May you find time this busy season to break out the lace tablecloth and have some friends over for a steaming brew.......and a cookie or two!

Pals December Hop

Welcome to the Pals December Hop!  If you have arrived from Joanna's blog you are right on track.  Christmas really is all about a birth day so it seems only fitting that our hop has a birthday theme this month.

My daughter's birthday is today so I will be having the family over for dinner.  Roast beef, Yorkshire pudding and birthday cake is on the menu. My birthday is next week so there will be another get together.  I have been told that the party will involve pizza, wings and Monday Night Football...........gee I hope there's cake........ 

Recipe: Poppy Parade, Sunny Garden DSP, Daffodil Delight Ribbon, Birthday Bakery Stamp

 

Now hop on over to Mary Fish's blog and see what Birthday Delight she has prepared!

Melanie Collins -- http://www.oopsadaisydesigns.com/

Barbara Chatzkel -- http://www.takeoutpaperarts.com/

Patti MacLeith -- http://papercraftsbypatti.blogspot.com/

Stephanie Uzee -- http://stampinwithsuzee.blogspot.com/

Dawn Gross -- http://dawnsthisnthat.blogspot.com/

Kylie Nicolosi -- http://www.kyliescraftycorner.blogspot.com/

Joanna Munster -- http://www.inspiredbystampin.com/

Linda Callahan -- http://www.stampinseasons.blogspot.com/

Mary Fish -- http://stampinpretty.com/

Sue Bendinsky -- http://www.mycolorcreations.com/


Winter Whites.....PPA 72.....

What a beautiful inspiration photo this week at Pals Paper Arts!  Out of all of those gorgeous images where does my eye go?  To the cookies of course!  I used Crumb Cake and Whisper White in honor of those confectionery delights!  So the plan is to make some tea, grab a few Christmas cookies and browse through all of the wonderful creations made from Winter Whites!

Wish Big! PPA71

When I learned that the amazing Julee Tilman was going to be PPA's Celebrity Guest Artist,  I headed to the archives of Poetic Artistry to trace the roots of Mojo Monday. Mojo Monday made its official debut Sept. 3, 2007 but I discovered that the seeds for Mojo Monday were actually planted earlier that year. Julee held various card contests often based on her sketches.  Using PPA's Challenge Colors, I created this retro look card following one of her pre-mojo sketches.  A sentiment from Word Play fits perfectly - Julee did Wish Big to become successful.  Well maybe it took more than wishing...........lots of hard work, creative artistry and verve!

Let there be peace on earth......

Wouldn't it be great if we could just wrap up Peace on Earth and hand it out for Christmas? I tried to do just that using the PPA sketch, Deck the Halls DSP and the sentiment from Peaceful Season. Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving and a peaceful holiday season...................

'Tis the Season....to say thanks....

Nance Leedy at The Paper Players provided the perfect sketch for a thank you card that I need to send this week.  A FedEx box arrived at the library addressed to Nancy (my partner in crime at the Circulation Desk) and me.  Inside were two dozen roses along with a thank you note from one of our patrons.  Wow - totally unexpected! The resulting  good feelings will last long after the flowers are gone. After I send this out to thank the patron, I plan to send a surprise thank you treat to someone who least expects one.  Oh what those flowers have started!

Hello Baby.......PPA69.....

Pals Paper Arts challenged us to use ribbon and keep it simple. I used Nursery Suite DSP and skinny Marina Mist ribbon to create a card for my niece's soon-to-arrive baby boy!  Yep a boy - unless of course there is a little glitch somewhere.  A friend of mine once decided to let his young son announce the gender of an expected sibling at a family gathering Christmas Eve.  He asked the ultrasound tech to print the test results on a card and seal it in an envelope.  He then taught his son to say boy when he saw a B and girl when he saw a G.  The big day came and when the little guy opened the envelope he yelled BOY!  Of course there was cheering and celebrating!  Thank Heaven before the evening was over Mom thought to pick the card up off the floor where the little boy had dropped it in his excitement.  The ultrasound tech had printed on the card - Baby girl!  Maybe I will make a pink version of this card..........just in case............

Let It Snow!

In my house RAIN is a 4-letter word - we worship the Snow Gods. The Paper Players had a snowman theme this week so I used the snowman from Tags til Christmas to let the Snow Gods know we await the flakes. My son cycles daily to get in shape for ski season. My husband has his skis and boots ready by the back door.  My daughter decorates her house with snowflakes.  I too pray to the Snow Gods. I hope they tire themselves out by mid-January and snooze the week I fly to Nashville for Leadership!  I can't believe it - I am going to Nashville :-)

I'll Be There........PPA 68

Inspired by the beautiful table linens, I reached for Lap of Luxury DSP and embossed the silverware from Compliments to the Chef.  A bit of bling, some pink ribbon and my invite was complete. So if this fabulous photo at Pals Paper Arts inspires you to create an amazing dessert table please send me a card like this!

Elementary my dear Silke......

How do you combine Basic Gray, Daffodil Delight and Poppy Parade to make a Christmas Card?  With lots of white space!  Silke Ledlow, the absolute master of white space, is guest designer this week at Pals Paper Arts.    So I tried to create like Silke this week and discovered something you all probably know by now - I couldn't!  My card still came out looking like me.  Yep this card has elementary school teacher written all over it - primary colors, ducks in a row, sit up straight perfect!  Amazing how what we create is such a personal reflection..........and that's what I loved about teaching those little ones......no two "creations" were ever the same.......

Sign of the Times.......

Ann Schach hosted a recipe challenge at The Paper Players this week.  Using her ingredients of designer paper, a punch and a sentiment I created my signboard using Stacey's Curtain Call  Act 53 Colors of Basic Gray, Daffodil Delight and Pumpkin Pie. This also works for Connie and Mary's Halloween Theme (CCMC122).  So break out the black hats ladies and have a great Halloween weekend!

P-P-Pet Shoppe.......

Margaret Moody's sketch for the PPA challenge this week reminded me of a storefront.......and it is almost Halloween......so how much are those bats in the window?

Bling It On!

Remember when shiny silver Christmas trees were so chic and modern? Now they are so chic and retro!  I embossed the tree from Holiday Happiness in silver and added bling to the branches since Pals Paper Arts challenged us to "Bring on the Bling!"  Then I found a lovely angel hiding in the set Friends Never Fade.  Some more silver embossing and that angel was ready to be the "star"!

Imagine the Possibilities.....

The inspiration photo at Pals Paper Arts this week is downright gorgeous!  Beautiful colors, beautiful sweater, beautiful smile...........this gal seems to be enjoying life for sure!  So this sentiment just seemed to fit her mood!  I stamped a background of fall colors using French Foliage and actually did a bit of tearing and smudging.  That's a whole new world for me...........Imagine the possibilities!

That's What Friends Are For......

A friend of mine who knits spotted these knitting needles made out of toothpicks on Deb Valder's blog.  (I haven't found the original designer - help?)  And being such a good friend she made a set, cast on a few stitches and delivered it to me. I added Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake, Jolly Holiday DSP and the image from Hand Knit and followed the sketch from Connie and Mary.  The sentiment is sweet but actually it's my friends that keep me from unraveling.......................

Fruit Salad - PPA63.......

Pals Paper Arts Fruit Salad:

Take 3 stamps from Apple Blossoms and mix with equal parts Pear Pizzazz and Peach Parfait. 

Add a splash of Melon Mambo, sprinkle with pearls and tie it up with a bow.

Makes a lovely treat for any occasion!

The Dark Side...........

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It's dark..........it's raining......the furnace is running.........oh yes the Northeast is headed to the dark side for the next few months.  So I went with the darkness when I put together this card for the Paper Players' monochromatic challenge.  The Mojo Monday sketch worked perfectly and now I am off to turn on a light.  There's a quilt, an easy chair and a brand new novel calling my name.........it's not all bad........

The Last Flowers of Summer........PPA 62

Pals Paper Arts Challenge this week was to use buttons and the new Bright Buttons were perfect for my fountain of flowers along with Play Date DSP. I followed Stamping 411's sketch and turned the tree from Holiday Happiness upside down to create the stems.  So farewell summer flowers - the first frost isn't far away.  Soon it will be time to turn that tree rightside up!