Fusion: Sunshine on a Cloudy Day

No clouds here these days!  We have been having record breaking sunshine and high temps for two weeks now!  Crazy that it has been 90 degrees at the end of September!  To escape the heat I drove 100 miles up into the Adirondack Mts. last week to visit a friend who has a camp on  Lake Eaton.  We sat on her dock and chatted the day away - it was glorious.  This was the view from our Adirondack chairs....

It was a great day and I'll send her this card to say thanks......and also to tell her how much fun we are all having because she sent that three horned monster to Emma.....

I used both the sketch and the picture this week at Fusion!  Hope you play along!

Stamp Sets: Work of Art, Weather Together, Pocketful of Sunshine, My Sunshine (SSS)
Ink: Black, Distress Oxide Colors
Paper:  Lemon Lime Twist, Whisper White, Peekaboo Peach

Halloween Fun.....FMS307

This card was inspired by this past weekend's fall festival at a nearby farm.  We had a grand time but the weather was not fallish at all!  What is up with 90 degrees the end of September?!?!  Way too hot!

Miss E had fun and when we got home discovered a friend of mine had sent her a cuddly crocheted three horned monster for Halloween.  She loves it and declared she was naming it Horny........

and Erin and I collapsed laughing......yep just like that we were back in junior high again......



Our oh so talented leader Jen Timko has a great sketch for us this week at Freshly Made Sketches!  Hope you play along!

                                             

Stamp Sets/Die Cuts:  Pick A Pumpkin, Season to Sparkle
Paper:  Lemon Lime Twist, Pumpkin Pie, Basic Black, Whisper White, Merry Little Christmas DSP, Vellum
Ink:  Versamark

Latte and Leaves

Wouldn't it be lovely if pumpkin spice lattes just floated down with the leaves every fall?

Always fun to participate in a Coffee Lovers Bloghop!

Global Design Project has a wonderful fresh and fall-y color challenge this week!

I based my layout on the sketch at Fab Friday this week.

Stamp Sets:  Vintage Leaves, Hug In A Mug, Merry Cafe, Grown With Love
Ink:  Peekaboo Peach, Lemon Lime Twist, Tangerine Tango
Paper:  Peekaboo Peach, Lemon Lime Twist, Whisper White

Pick Your Potion......FMS306

Well I certainly need a magic potion today to make this pesky head cold go away!  I've tried various potions over the past 24 hours and nothing has worked very well yet.  Hoping Alka Seltzer Cold medicine does the trick tonight so I can sleep. But before I mix it up I thought I would mention a few things that you probably should keep to yourself when talking to someone whose eyes and nose are running like faucets..........

1.  "Oh Emma's only lasted a couple days....she's fine."  (Kindergarten germs are deadly for Grandmas.....)

2.  "Stop blowing your nose it will get sore." (Too late....and do I really have a choice?)

3.  "Are you sure it isn't allergies?"  followed by a saga of personal allergy problems.  (At my age I'm sure but thanks for sharing.)

4.  "Amma you need to sneeze into your elbow like this!"  (Seriously who dreamed that up?  I'd need to drape my arm like a waiter at this stage.)

5.  And my personal favorite......."What's for dinner?" 

Jen Mitchell, my talented friend from New England, has a great sketch for us this week at Freshly Made Sketches! Play along!

Stamp Set:  Festive Phrases
Ink:  Black, Crumb Cake, Cajun Craze
Paper:  Very Vanilla, Basic Black, Spooky Night DSP

Stamp Review Crew: Merry Cafe

The Stamp Review Crew is featuring Merry Cafe this week. It's an adorable set that can be used for fall or winter......and the framelits for Coffee Cafe work perfectly with this set as well.  Summer is winding down here so it is almost time to take out my "to go " cups and stack them on the counter as I did on my card. In the winter I always take a cup of tea or hot chocolate with me as I head out the door for my morning errands!  

But in the meantime we are enjoying delightful Indian Summer weather!

If you missed a stop at my friend Heidi Baks' blog head on back to see what wonderful treats she has in store!

But if you are on track then head onward to my friend Mike Funke's blog - he always has something creative to share!

Stamp Sets:  Merry Cafe, Coffee Cafe

Paper:  Whisper White. Merry Little Christmas DSP

Ink: Black, Old Olive, Real Red

Fusion - Teacup Flowers

Oh this sentiment is high praise indeed......just ask any tea drinker!

I used both the sketch and the photo as my inspiration this week at Fusion.  Play along and use whichever inspires you!

Stamp Sets:  Vintage Teacup (Altenew), Beautiful Bouquet (SU)
Ink:  Black, Pool Party, Pink Powder, Basic Gray, Crumb Cake
Paper:  Pool Party , Whisper White, Whole Lot of Lovely DSP
Die Cuts:  Scalloped Rectangles (Avery Elle)

Sending Love.....FMS305

My mother's cousin recently had surgery so I will be bringing this card to my mother tomorrow for her to sign before I mail it.  It is difficult to take her out these days but we did get her to Emma's birthday party last weekend.  Her short term memory is very poor and she struggles to follow conversation when there is a large group of people.  But she seemed to enjoy herself and liked watching the kids play in the bounce house.  

When I brought her home and was getting her settled she noticed the invitation to Emma's party on her nightstand and asked me when the party was.  I told her we had just returned from the party. She shook her head a bit sadly and then looked at me with a grin and said,  "Well did I have a good time?"  I nodded and she said, "That's all that matters!" She hasn't lost that spunk!

Amy, my artisan friend from Texas, designed a sweet sketch for us this week at Freshly Made Sketches! It is perfect to show off a bold sentiment!  Join us!

Stamp Set: Lots of Love
Paper: Whisper White
Ink:  Black, Tranquil Tide, Calypso Coral, Pear Pizzazz, Pool Party

Simple Joy

We could definitely use a bit more joy in this world these days. The devastation of natural disasters this month has been staggering. Simple acts of kindness during these times mean so much. Even if it is just acting as a pillow so your brother can sleep.........

Always love the sketches at Cas(e) this Sketch!

Merry Monday's Challenge this week is to use Joy on your card.

Stamp Sets:  Christmas Pines, Season to Sparkle, Hand Lettered Holiday (Wplus9)
Ink:  Pear Pizzazz, Real Red, Early Espresso, Soft Sky, Black, Crumb Cake
Paper:  Real Red, Whisper White

Fall Treats! FMS 304

No better way for summer to end than with a night at the County Fair.  It never gets old. In Charlotte's Web there is a scene where Templeton returns totally stuffed from a night out at the fair.  I get it.....we had to do something we watched Emma enjoying herself.....fried dough.....French fries.....sausage and peppers.......ice cream......lemonade......yeow!  

 Emma loved the 500 pound pumpkin.....that sure would make a whole lotta lattes!  

My friend Narelle who creates the most beautiful floral cards ever designed a fun sketch for us this week at Freshly Made Sketches.....join us!

Stamps Sets:  Merry Cafe, Pick A Pumpkin
Ink:  Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Early Espresso
Paper:  Delightful Daisy DSP, Old Olive, Whisper White

Stamp Review Crew: Crafting Forever

The Stamp Review Crew is featuring Crafting Together today. I love this set and have used it before (you can see those cards here, here and here) but I haven't used the twine peg image.  So I challenged myself to use that clothespin today. When I start a card I often play around with the image I want to use.  My first thought was a rainbow lineup of yarn......so I did this to plan out spacing.....

But then I decided they looked like a row of tied up Rockettes so that wasn't going to work at all!  Finally I thought of that funky sketch at Cas(e) this Sketch this week and I was in business!  

I embossed the sentiment and did some masking to create the swirl of pegs! The rest of the sentiment was stamped inside.

If you missed Rochelle's wonderful work head back there......

Otherwise head onward to see what treat Kelly has in store!