The New Guys......FMS373

I love this pup with balloons image!  Perfect for "Thank you for the baby gift!" cards from a family who loves dogs.  And if you are crazy about dogs as we all are you know that dogs just love you right back....unconditionally.

That Will has only been around a couple of weeks and we all adore him.  Corduroy and Silas always keep watch as he sleeps.

What you don't see in this picture is ADK, a little gray poodle, who never leaves her mother's side.  When she hears Will cry she starts whining and circling Ria leading her to Will.  It is truly amazing how these three dogs protect this little guy already.

And then there's the other new guy....Bogey.....just a few weeks older than Will and as rambunctious as can be.  He has no time for babies right now.  He's too busy romping around the house like a fifty pound toddler! I hate to think what will happen when he and Will hit the terrible twos together!

                                     

I love Kim's sketch this week at Freshly Made Sketches - hope you join us!

                                               

Stamp Set - Hero Arts Sentiment, Mama Elephant Image
Ink - Memento Black, Highland Heather, Copics
Paper - Whisper White, Gingham Gala DSP
Die Cut - Stitched Borders by Lawn Fawn

Stamp Review Crew: SAB

The Stamp Review Crew is featuring sets from Saleabration today.  I used the grass from Home to Roost and the critters from So Hoppy Together to create my scene.  The organza ribbon was also a free SAB offering.  

No green frogs around here these days.....too much ice and snow.  But my son still uses his Big Green Egg often to make dinner.  It lives out on his deck and if you look carefully you can see the hair dryer in the photo.....yes the egg sometimes freezes shut and has to be thawed out!  Ahh life in the Northeast~

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

Otherwise keep going to see my friend Stesha's fabulous creations!

Stamp Sets:  Home to Roost, So Hoppy Together, Waterfront

Ink:  Memento Black, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Grapefruit Grove, Pool Party, Gorgeous Grape

Paper:  Whisper White, Gorgeous Grape, Toil and Trouble DSP

Fusion: Penguin Love

It's been a delightfully snowy week around here so that may have been my inspiration for today's Valentine - well that and the wonderful inspiration at Fusion.

My neighbor took this photo of the Big Guy making the first path the morning after a twenty four hour storm.  We thought we were in for a lot of snow when Mike Seidel was reporting from a city an hour away and Jim Cantore was two hours away in Vermont - yes we predict the severity of our weather by the location of the Weather Channel guys!

I was inspired by the penguins and the sketch this week at Fusion!  Hope you join us!

                                     s

The Paper Players have a CAS snowy day theme this week......


                                                   

Stamp Set: Dash (Stacey Yakula design for Purple Onion)
Paper:  Whisper White, All My Love DSP
Ink:  Basic Gray, Copics

Super Heroes.....FMS372

Miss Emma recently earned a fabulous purple cape for becoming a Super Reader.  So I thought a super hero in a purple cape was perfect for a card to say Hooray for You!  A bit of Copic coloring and a brushed inky sky finished off my card.

Super Readers are always willing to swoop in and read stories to brand new baby cousins.....who actually seem to be listening!

It's always fun to host at Freshly Made Sketches and this week it is my turn.  Hope you swoop on over and play along!  Our team has designed some wonderful cards with my sketch!

Stamp Set:  You're Super (MFT)

Paper:  Whisper White, Country Lane DSP

Ink:  Memento Black, Blackberry Bliss, Copics, Distress

Where There's A Will.......FMS371

That new grandson of mine finally arrived over the weekend and of course we think he is perfect!  Everyone is fine and Miss Emma got to hold Will yesterday for the first time - she is delighted to have a new cousin!  

And  I am delighted he is home and settled so I can catch up on my sleep - it has been a very long busy week.  His parents however probably won't be sleeping any time soon!

Have fun with Jen Mitchell's terrific sketch this week at Freshly Made Sketches!

Stamp Set:  Love You To Pieces

Ink:  Lovely Lipstick

Paper:  Thick Whisper White, Broadway Bound DSP

Fusion: Butterfly Anniversary - Take Two

For some reason Feed Blitz that delivers my posts to your email decided to pause after the 85th notification today which meant that 850 notifications did not get delivered!  There must have been just too many deliveries for poor old Mr. Blitz and he took an early coffee break.  Well his boss Mr. Feed Blitz Support set everything right again and said the next post would be delivered just fine.  But what about the 850 undelivered ones today I asked? So Mr. Support sent me a wonderfully illustrated email with directions how to hover here, click there, follow the red arrow...etc. etc. so I could send the post to the remaining people on my list.   Mr. Support was very nice and I appreciated his help but he didn't take into account my below average computer skills.  It was much easier for me to copy and paste my post and send the whole thing again to everyone.  My apologies to the 85 of you who have already seen this butterfly card........

Welcome!  It is our first Fusion challenge of the year and we always start the year off with guest designers.  Heidi Baks from RunningwScissors is my guest today.  You can see her beautiful creation on today's Fusion post.  I am a total Heidi fan and have actually hung out with her in her craft room.  She lives with her family on a wonderful small farm about two hours downstate from me!  

Meanwhile the youngest member of our family continues to be this guy - Bogey - who is about three months old......we still await the arrival of that grandson of ours!

I used both the sketch and the photo as inspiration for my card.  Start your year off with us at Fusion!

                                      

                                        

The Paper Players has a Critter Theme this week.

Stamp Set:  Butterfly Wishes

Ink: Distress, Versafine Clair Nocturne

Paper:  Whisper White,  Botanical Butterfly DSP

Subtle Embossing Folder (SU)

Butterfly diecut borrowed from neighbor  ;0) ......unknown company

Fusion: Butterfly Anniversary

Welcome!  It is our first Fusion challenge of the year and we always start the year off with guest designers.  Heidi Baks from RunningwScissors is my guest today.  You can see her beautiful creation on today's Fusion post.  I am a total Heidi fan and have actually hung out with her in her craft room.  She lives with her family on a wonderful small farm about two hours downstate from me!  

Meanwhile the youngest member of our family continues to be this guy - Bogey - who is about three months old......we still await the arrival of that grandson of ours!

I used both the sketch and the photo as inspiration for my card.  Start your year off with us at Fusion!

The Paper Players has a Critter Theme this week.

Stamp Set:  Butterfly Wishes

Ink: Distress, Versafine Clair Nocturne

Paper:  Whisper White,  Botanical Butterfly DSP

Subtle Embossing Folder (SU)

Butterfly diecut borrowed from neighbor  ;0) ......unknown company

Valentine Love.....FMS370

Time to start the Valentines!   I only send a few but I wanted to finish them early because things are going to get busy around here. My new grandson is due today!  But I think he has other plans for  now......he doesn't seem to be in a hurry  to join us at all. We will just have to wait and see because babies tend to set their own due dates!

Jen Timko designed a delightful sketch for us this week at Freshly Made Sketches! Hope to see you in the gallery!

                                       
Stamp Sets:  Meant to Be, Heart Happiness
Paper:  Botanical Butterfly DSP, Whisper White, Lucky Limeade
Ink:  Lovely Lipstick, Lucky Limeade
Diecut:  Love Ya Line Border (Lawn Fawn)

One of a Kind!

Time to put the Christmas stuff away and start on birthday cards for 2019.  This one is headed to my cousin who loves the ocean.  I am not quite as enamored with it as she is.  I am very happy to keep my feet on the sandy beach while those saltwater critters swim in the sea.  Yes I am THAT person who just eats the sweet corn and salad at lobster fests and clambakes......

As soon as I saw the sketch at Cas(e) this Sketch this week I thought of Sea of Textures with its net and octopus as the elements.  Distress Oxide Inks were blended to create an ocean-y background .

Festive Friday has a BLUE challenge this week.

Stamp Set:  Sea of Textures

Ink:  Fresh Fig, Distress Oxides

Paper:  Whisper White, Crumb Cake

New Year News.....FMS369

2019 is starting with lots of news around here! That rooster image from the new SAB set Home to Roost is perfect to announce the arrival of three new members to our Freshly Made Sketches Design Team. You will love the designs of these three very talented ladies - I know I do!  Stop by their blogs to say hello!

Lee Ann Barrett

Judy Rozema

Jacquie Southas

But that rooster has more news to crow about!  Miss Emma was very happy to meet Uncle Mike's adorable new pup this week.  He is a 12 week old Alaskan Malamute who has the biggest feet I have ever seen and will probably soon be bigger than Emma!  

But the best news of all is that Uncle Mike and Aunt Ria expect a baby boy in the next two weeks!  Emma is very excited to have a new cousin soon......and me??  Well I am pretty much beside myself awaiting a new grandson.......I will try not to crow too much...... :)  

Amy has a wonderful sketch for us to start the New Year!  Hope you join us at Freshly Made Sketches!

Stamp Set:  Home to Roost

Paper: Whisper White, Country Lane DSP

Ink: Blackberry Bliss, Daffodil Delight, Memento Black, Copics