The reason I'm MIA...

Hey crafty friends!

I am still here but I thought I should tell you why I've been missing.

I don't know how much, if anything, that I have shared with you about our house situation so I'll start from the beginning, sort of.

We live(d - we have since relocated to a rental around the corner) in a 1950's Ranch-sytle home, in a neighborhood of the same style. We are the second owners of our home and the original owners added on to the house in the 70's, making it one of the largest original homes in the neighborhood. The house flooded in Hurricane Allison in 2001 and was completely remodeled shortly after that. We love this house because it was an old house with a new house feel and in one of the best neighborhoods EVER (our opinion, of course).

By June of 2013, this house needed a lot of crucial updating; we are talking about full electrical and plumbing replacement, not fun stuff like cabinets, tile, or paint color. I started talking to contractors about remodeling our master bathroom (which is where we decided to start) and it became clear that once we started putting the money into this house, it wasn't going to end. So then we started talking about moving, and I met with a realtor to check out some houses. It quickly became obvious that we couldn't afford to move into a home that was what we wanted, where we were wanting it. So then I started talking to builders because, by this point, we decided that we wanted to stay on our lot. We have a gorgeous, super old tree on our over-sized lot and we love our neighbors and street/neighborhood.

So, after interviewing 5-6 builders, we chose one. This two man team has a talent for designing homes themselves. Kevin and I sat down with them for about 4 hours (2 meetings) and we have a house!! Kevin and I got to design the whole thing ourselves and we LOVE it. It's very mid-century modern, with clean lines and lots of different materials. You can see the picture below.

As for crafting, most of my stuff had to move into boxes because our rental house is 300 sq. ft. smaller than our house. So, along with downsizing by a solid room, goodwilling at least 35 bags of goodies, and giving away at least half that amount, there is still no room for me to keep out my crafting goodies so I have managed to condense my stuff down to a plastic bin.

Getting to the point, I will be crafting I just haven't quite figured out the frequency with which it will happen. There also won't be many (any) 'special effects' as I don't have many tools at my disposal.

I also plan to try and create some junk (or not so 'junk') journals because there were some supplies packed in with my kids' toys. Someone wanted me to create with those goodies, so I won't let Him down. :)

This is what we are starting with...

This is a computer mock up of the design...

I would like to thank you for your support and patience. This is an exciting time and I look forward to sharing it with you. 

Thanks of looking! I hope this finds you happy and healthy. 

Christmas Post

It's time for another ANYTHING GOES challenge over at Sister Act Card Challenge. 

Come on over and join us. :) 

All Dressed Up is our sponsor this week.

Thanks, All Dressed Up!

(They also have a challenge blog that you can check out HERE.)

I used 'Christmas Post'. I colored the image with Prismacolor pencils. I used my Shapeabilities Label 8 dies to cut my image and mat. The green card stock was from my scrap stash but I think it might be Green Galore from Stampin' Up. I loved how bright it was next to the red and black. Even though the card has both red and green, I don't see this as a 'traditional' Christmas card. A little more updated and modern version of traditional. :) 

The designer paper are from Cosmo Cricket's Jolly by Golly mini deck (red snowflake paper) and Doodlebug's Halloween Parade pad (black polka dot paper). You can't rely tell, and I only succeeded in tearing the paper but I embossed the Doodlebug paper with my Cuttlebug Snowflake embossing folder. The card base is Neenah Desert Storm card stock. 

The bling-y brads are from my stash and probably one of the first embellishments I have ever bought,  about 10 years ago. :) I added Diamond Stickles to the snowflakes on the image. 

I haven't found the holiday sentiment I wast to use yet, so I will add that later. 

Thanks for looking! I hope this finds you happy and healthy.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Loads of Happiness

 

It's time for another challenge over at Cupcake Inspirations!! 

I hope you'll come over and join us. 

Each challenge, we give you an inspiration cupcake and you make a card or other craft project that is inspired by the cupcake.  

Here is this week's cupcake.

Autumn Wedding Cupcakes by Claras Cupcakes

We are sponsored this week by Newton's Nook!

Newton's Nook is generously providing a $20 gift certificate to our randomly chosen winner.

Thanks so much for sponsoring our challenge, Newton's Nook!

I used Newton's Nook stamp set 'Wagon of Wishes'. I love sets like this because they are good for so many different occasions. I stamped the image with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on Simon Says Stamp 120lb card stock and colored it with my Copic markers. That's it. :)

Thank you for looking! I hope this finds you happy and healthy.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

It's fall, y'all!! FINALLY!

It's time for another challenge over at Cupcake Inspirations!! 

I hope you'll come over and join us. 

We are sponsored this week by Craft Classes Online!

Craft Classes Online is generously providing a prize of one seat in a class worth $25 or less to our randomly chosen winner.

Thanks so much for sponsoring our challenge, Craft Classes Online!

Each challenge, we give you an inspiration cupcake and you make a card or other craft project that is inspired by the cupcake.  

Here is this week's cupcake.

Apple Cupcakes from Woman's Day

In honor of the first fall-like day here in Houston, a fall card. 

I used Newton's Nook stamp set "Newton's Holiday Mischief" .  I stamped the image with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on Simon Says Stamp 120lb card stock and colored it with my Copic markers. I added red baker's twine from Martha Stewart and popped it up on a Stapmin' Up Close to Cocoa card base. The sentiment and leaf stamp are from one of my favorite sets by Stampendous called 'Everything Happy'. 

Thank you for looking! I hope this finds you happy and healthy.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Loads of Wishes

It's time for another ANYTHING GOES challenge over at Sister Act Card Challenge. 

Come on over and join us. :) 

This week we are being sponsored by Digital Delights. Thanks so much! 

I used Newton's Nook stamp set 'Wagon of Wishes'. I love sets like this because they are good for so many different occasions. I stamped the image with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on Simon Says Stamp 120lb card stock and colored it with my Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol (OMS - odorless mineral spirits). Done. :)

Thanks so much for looking! I hope this finds you happy and healthy.

Happy Halloween!! Be safe out there.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Celebrate You!!

It's time for another challenge over at Cupcake Inspirations!! 

I hope you'll come over and join us. 

We are sponsored this week by 2 Cute Ink !

2 Cute Ink is generously providing a prize of 2 digis to our randomly chosen winner.

Thanks so much for sponsoring our challenge, 2 Cute Ink!

Each challenge, we give you an inspiration cupcake and you make a card or other craft project that is inspired by the cupcake.  

Here is this week's cupcake.

I used this cute image that was a freebie when 2 Cute Ink was celebrating their 500 FB likes, I think. :) I don't remember exactly what we were celebrating but we were celebrating all the same! 

I used my Nestabilities circle and scalloped circles dies for my main image. 

The card stock is an unknown green from my stash (Green Galore, maybe?) and Real Red. I embossed the green panel with my Cuttlebug Happy Birthday folder. The card base is Basic Black. Added some twine around the panels and then dicided it needed a little bling. The rhinestones are from the Target dollar spot.  

On the inside, I layered more of the card stock and used my Stampin' Up 'Celebrate' set in Real Red ink. This will probably end up a birthday card but it doesn't have to be. 

Thank you for looking! I hope this finds you happy and healthy.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Pretty Purple Pleats

It's time for another ANYTHING GOES challenge over at Sister Act Card Challenge. 

Come on over and join us. :) 

All Dressed Up is our sponsor this week.

Thanks, All Dressed Up!

(They also have a challenge blog that you can check out HERE.)

I used 'All Cuddle Make It All Better'. I colored the image with Prismacolor pencils. Check out those pleats!! This is the first time I have been truly happy with the way my pleats turned out. Now to get them to look like that with Copics. :) 

I die cut my image and mats with my Nestabilitities circle and scalloped circle dies. The mat and card base are Stampin' Up's Wild Wasabi. The designer papers are actually Doodlebug's Halloween Parade. Looks good even on a non-Halloween card! The rhinestones are from the Target dollar spot. 

Thanks for looking! I hope this finds you happy and healthy.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Art by MiRan #17 - Anything Goes

Cut It Up #56 - Purple, Orange, Green, Black

Scraping 4 Fun #28 - Anything Goes

4 Krafty Girls #30 - Anything Goes

Crafty Creations #271 - Thinking of You

Digi Stamps 4 Joy #102 - Animals

Ruby's Rainbow #90 - Use Your Freebies/Prizes (the All Dressed Up image)

Top Tip Tuesday - Favorite Color Combo (I love the modern Halloween color combos; some much better than just orange and black!)

Fitztown #57 - Anything Goes

The Cutie Pie Challenge #80 - Perfectly Purple 

D.L. Art : October - Anything Goes