EMBRACE LIFE

Just a quick card to post tonight.  I know it's got a lot going on, but I like it.

• I used DJ Inkers for the digi image. 
• Cardbase is bright green from Value pack pre-scored for easy folding
• Image colored with Crayola markers & crayons
• Yellow paper from Recollections
• Pattern flower paper from BasicGrey Gypsy
• Border punch from eksuccess (from goodie box from lovely friend!)
• Rhinestones from Joanns
• Ribbon from a flower arrangement mama made me years ago, flowers died, saved ribbon  :)
• Puffy sentiment sticker from Cloud 9

That's it.  Easy Peasy.

Smiles, Janis

FLOWER POWER

Good morning!!  I am so excited because today is our first sponsored challenge over at my other blog, Paper Playtime!!  The card above was made using one of our sponsor's images.  Check out Digital Delights by Louby Loo!  Their images are AWESOME!!  And stop by Paper Playtime and enter our Challenge!  The theme this week is

(FLOWER POWER)

As always, you can interpret this theme anyway you like - maybe Hippies come to your mind, or VW Bus Vans, or Flower Gardens, or cool shoes with flowers on them... hmmmm.... you show us what comes to your mind!  

One random submission will be chosen to win a Gift Certificate from our sponsor!!  What are you waiting for?  Any project made from paper may be entered.

My project details:

• Card base Purple cardstock cut to make standard A2 size card
• Lavender background paper from Colorbok "Perfect Pages" Baby kit cut @ 5 1/4" x 4"
• Purple ribbon from Joann's (one day I'm going to learn how to make pretty bows)
• Image from Digital Delights by Louby Loo printed onto white cardstock from printer
• Image colored using Crayola Markers & Crayons
• Flower center rhinestones from Joann's
• Edges of image square sponged with Colorbox Chalk in Lavender (love these chalk mini cat's eye stackable pads!!)

Spreading the Flower Power,

:) Janis

CURRENTLY READING

Good Sunday morning to you!

This morning I finished Janet Evanovich's PLUM SPOOKY. As always, her books keep me smiling and laughing throughout.

Finishing one books means beginning another! I'll be starting Allie Larkin's STAY today. I have no idea what it's about. I don't like to read too much of the jacket covers. I like to jump in with no idea where the storyline is headed.

If you want to see where I'm at in my 100+ Book Challenge for 2010, Click HERE.


IN A NUTSHELL:
Day 199 of this year = ~33 books read (I'm sure there were at least 2 or 3 more than that, but I lost count in May / June)
166 more days of this year = 11 more books a month plus 1 more for this month to reach at least 100 books read in 2010.


Hmmmm....  That doesn't sound doable unless I read shorter books.  But you know what, it really doesn't matter.  I just enjoy reading, and I've never really kept up with the titles or how many, so this has been very interesting so far keeping track of all this info this year.

Later on this afternoon we'll be going to a cookout at the lake with some friends. I hope it cools off considerably before we get there. We haven't seen many of these friends since before we moved to Alaska last October. It will be nice to see everyone again.

Have a fun day! Janis

HERDING VACATION?

I have a friend (I know, shocking, right?) who went on vacation not too long ago and participated in a cattle drive.  She said they only went down the street, but still, that sounds like FUN!!  So when I was doing my daily browsing on THE DAILY DARE, I found several challenges I wanted to participate in and was thinking, how could I make this work?  And what you see above is the outcome.  Here are all the details...

• Card base Navy blue from Value pack pre-scored for easy folding!
• Dotted background paper cut @ 5 1/4" x 4" (DCWV Flower Shower Spring Stack)
• Yellow background paper cut @ 5 1/2" x 3 1/4" (DCWV Flower Shower Spring Stack)
• Cricut Cartridge PAPER DOLL DRESS UP
• Cowboy page 66 cut @ 3 1/2" (papers from Recollections)
• Cow page 67 cut @ 2 3/4" (papers from Recollections)
• Buttons and Twine from Joann's
• Bottom grass is actually the negative from a grass cut PDDU page 78, Tabs, cut @ 1 1/2" orginally
• 2 different sized Googlie eyes
• Cowboy face drawn with Ultra Fine Tip Black Sharpie
• Everything edges with Stampin' Up chalks

This is my submission for the following challenges:

1. Paper Cutz Challenge #50 - Cowboy / Western Theme
2. 365 Cards Day #138 - Create Your Own (List A - Gingham; List B - Red, Green, Yellow; List C - 2 buttons; List D - Oval (rope around cow)
3. If The Shoe Fits #41 - Vacation (cattle drive time!)
4. Raise The Bar #27 - Something old (DCWV Flower Shower Spring Stack papers); Something new (larger Googlie eyes!); Something borrowed or recycled (negative image from grass cut earlier); Something blue (buttons, background paper, card base, and cowboy's jeans)

Yes, we are having fun now!  Or as we say at our house when something is working out....

"WE'RE COOKING WITH GAS NOW!"

Happy Trails to You,

:) Janis

DADDY UPDATE

Mama & Daddy this April on their 49th Wedding Anniversary

Wow.  The title of this post reminds of about a year ago sending you "MAMA UPDATES".

I chauffeured Mama and Daddy to the VA Hospital this morning for Daddy to have a heart cath done.  The doctor was very nice explaining the results to us.

Daddy has a LOT of blockage all in his heart - not just concentrated in one artery.  But the main issue is they discovered a heart aneurysm through this procedure.  Now - that is not all bad.  I mean having an aneurysm isn't good, but at least they know it's there and now we can address it.

The doctor said he would need by-pass surgery next week.  And in Charleston.  (I live 45 minutes away from my parents, who live in West Columbia.  Charleston is 2 hours away from Columbia.)

Mama said she could feel the prayer coverage because otherwise she would be falling to pieces with this news.  Prayer works.

We don't know yet when the surgery is scheduled for - I'll keep you posted.  I am planning on chauffeuring them to Charleston for it.

Anyway, I'd like to ask you all for 2 things - PLEASE keep Daddy and Mama in your prayers.  And, if anyone is interested in sending handmade cards to Daddy & Mama, I'll be glad to give you an address to send them.  Last year, so many of you sent Mama cards when she was in the hospital that you had made and let me tell you, it really brightened up her day.  SHE STILL HAS THEM!!!  Each one she received is in her scrapbook.  I know it would mean a lot to them receive cards during this stressful time.

Thank you all for just being you.  Big hugs to you all!!  :)  Janis

WATERMELON = YUMMY!

It's about that time for me to scoot on to bed and read for a while.  I have to get up early in the morning to chauffeur my Mama and Daddy to the VA Hospital for Daddy to have a heart cath procedure done.  Please keep him in your prayers!  I wanted to get this card posted tonight since I may not make it on the computer tomorrow.  (Didn't want you to be getting withdrawals or anything.  LOL)

• Card base Teal from Value pack pre-scored for easy folding
• All pattern papers from DCWV Flower Shower Spring Stack
• Layer 1 Background paper cut @ 5 1/4" x 4"
• Layer 2 Striped paper cut @ 3 1/2" x 4"
• Layer 3 Polka dotted paper cut @ 4 1/4" x 2"
• Image from DJInkers (2 images put together using PrintMaster)
• I used my finger to color around the image with Stampin' Up chalk in blue
• The image was colored with Crayola Markers and Crayola Crayons

This is my submission for Flutter By Wednesday #113

This was also going to be my submission for another challenge (Where the sketch layout came from) but I'm having a "Senior Moment" and can't remember who provided that sketch for the layout. LOL

Sweet Dreams, Janis 

CURRENTLY READING

Today, I finished read, "Hope in a Jar" by Beth Harbison.

It was REALLY good.  An easy read.  This book reminded me of what it felt like in the 80's, in high school, make overs, best friends, sleep overs....  I really enjoyed this book!

So now I am starting on the next book on my shelf to read which I'm sure will go fast because it's by Janet Evanovich.  I love her "between the numbers" books.  Today I will start:

I may have actually already read this one, but her books are worth ready again.  I can almost guarantee myself with any of her "between the numbers" books I'll be laughing out loud at some point and wiping tears from my eyes from laughing so hard.

Tomorrow (I have to get up and leave my house by 5:15am - ugh), I'm driving to Columbia (45 minutes away) to chauffeur my Mama and Daddy to the VA Hospital for Daddy to have a heart cath done.  We have to be at the hospital at 7am.  Please keep him in your prayers that everything goes smoothly.  I'll be taking "Plum Spooky" with me as well as a couple other books for backup in case I get a LOT of reading done.

Hugs to all you gals!  :)  Janis

RAH! RAH! RAH!

Here is a card for all you sports fans out there who love the South Carolina GAMECOCKS!  Rah! Rah!  Rah!  Our baseball team won the National Championship this summer!  I know, I know, I've already made a post about that.  Click HERE to view it.  

This was an easy card to make!  I used the GAMECOCK colors (garnet and black) for the team on this card.  Here are all the details for you:

• Card base Garnet from Value Pack pre-scored for easy folding!
• Black background paper from Recollections cut @ 5 1/4" x 4"
• Black paper edged with Fiskars "Treading Water" punch (my fav!)
• Garnet pattern background paper from DCWV Flower Shower Spring Stack cut @ 5" x 3 1/2"
• Image printed from computer using DJ INKERS art.  I combined different images to make this one image using PrinterMaster.
• Image colored with Crayola Markers & Crayola Crayons.

This card is my submission for the following challenges discovered from THE DAILY DARE:

• Creative Inspirations Challenge #69 Sports Theme
• For Fun Challenges No Die Cuts, Image Must Be Colored By You
• Gingersnap Creations Markers
• Little Red Wagon Use a Tree On Project
• Paper Craft Star Sports Team Inspired
• The Sisterhood of Crafters Man Card

Whew!  This is fun!  Go check out THE DAILY DARE and all these really nifty challenge sites!  Isn't crafting fun?!

Toodles,  :)  Janis

SUMMER BUTTERFLY BIRTHDAY

Here is a clean and simple birthday card to share with you today.  I love the way the ribbon has the "sewn" look.  I added some faux stitching around the flower center too.  :)

This is my submission for the following challenges:

1. Cards & Things Challenge Blog - Sketch Challenge #40
2. Caardvarks - Birthday card
3. My Time to Craft - Challenge #99 Butterfly Bliss
4. Papertake Weekly - In The Garden
5. Party Time Tuesdays - Challenge #7 Anything Goes Birthday

Card base is bright yellow from Value Pack pre-scored for easy folding!

Ribbon from Marina's blog candy I won last year!

Papers from Recollections and K & Company

Clear stamp sentiment from Heidi Grace

Flower cut from CREATE A CRITTER phrase function on page 62 

Butterfly cut from CREATE A CRITTER page 69 @ 2"

Come on by and enjoy the FUN!

I have found all these challenges from THE DAILY DARE.  It lists tons of challenge sites by the day of the week their challenge starts.  A crafter could spend HOURS on their site browsing.  LOL  Go check it out &  enjoy all it has to offer.  :)

Janis

CHERISH

This was a very tough card for me to make.  Way out of my comfort zone here.  But that's what challenges are all about, right?

This is my submission for the following challenges:

1. Flutter By Wednesday Challenge #112 - Anything goes as long as it has a butterfly, fairy or angel on it
2. Mojo Monday #147 - Sketch
3. Paper Sundaes Challenge #26 - Lots of Layers
4. Pile It On Challenge #27 - Holiday colors for a non-holiday card
5. The Crazy Challenge - It's Hip to be Square

Cardbase orange from Value Pack pre-scored for easy folding

Solid papers from Recollections

Orange background paper from DCWV Ultimate Year Stack

Puffy Stickers from K & Company

Ribbon from stash

Black background paper cut @ 5 1/4" x 4"

Orange background paper cut @ 5" x 3 3/4"

Black squares cut @ 1 1/4"

Purple squares cut @ 1"

Purple and black circle cut @ 3" and staggered (used Create A Critter, phrase button with shift page 43

Whew!  That was a challenge! 

:)  Janis

BUBBLES

Good Monday morning!!  Oopsie... I mean, good afternoon!  LOL

Here is my submission for:

•  Paper Playtime's Challenge #7 BUBBLES!  Isn't she just the cutest little hippo? :)
• Critter Sketch Challenge Blog #22 THANKFUL
• Pollycraft Monday Challenge #52 BOLD & BRIGHT
• Alphabet Challenge Blog K IS FOR KIDS

Create A Critter page 44 Hippo cut @ 4"
Googlie eyes!
White gel pen for eyelashes and ear enhancement
Hippo papers from Recollections
Background papers from K & Company
Ribbon from Blog Candy (last year - still using it up!) from http://creativecandy4u.blogspot.com/.
Card base white from Value Pack pre-scored for easy folding!
Scotch Photo Splits & Zots used for adhesives

Come play with us!
:)  Janis

MAMA VISIT & CARDS SHE MADE TODAY

Here is one of the cards Mama made today when she and Daddy came for a visit.  I cut the lemonade pitcher and used the same pattern for this card as the one early I made this week.  She chose a puffy sticker sentiment that says, "cute as a button".  Here's a closeup of that.  All the details and measurements for this card can be found HERE.

Here's the other card she made today.  We thought it turned out so pretty, and the red flower really made it POP!

Good times, Good times.

:)  Janis & Mama

SUMMER

How's your Thursday going for you?  Good, I hope!  Doesn't this card make you want to go sit outside, under a tree, in the evening when it's not so hot, and enjoy the view?

Here's all the crazy details for this card...

• Blue glittered background paper from DCWV Flower Shower Spring Stack cut @ 12" x 6" and folded in half.
• Right side corners rounded with Fiskars Corner Rounder - Medium
• Orange background paper from Debbie Mumm cut @ 5 3/4" x 5 1/4"
• Checked background paper from Debbie Mumm cut @ 5 3/4" x 5"
• Grass cut from GIVE A HOOT page 76 @ 1/2" and trimmed bottom for straight edge
• Tree trunk from MICKEY & FRIENDS page 125 cut @ 4 1/2" on REAL DIAL SIZE
• Top of tree from MICKEY & FRIENDS page 125 cut @ 4 1/2" (not on RDS) (yes, I mixed the tree trunk with the other tree top - I liked it this way better.)
• Chair cut from BLOCK PARTY @ 3"
• Grass, Chair, & Tree all enhanced with Stampin' Up chalks
• Everything adhered with Scoth Photo Splits or Zig 2-Way Glue Pen

This is my submission for the following Challenge Blogs (go check 'em out!)

• Tuesday Taggers - Make A Scene
• Cute Card Thursday Challenge #120 - School's Out For Summer

I found these Challenge Blogs from a VERY COOL site I discovered yesterday.  It's THE DAILY DARE. And they added PAPER PLAYTIME to their Monday list!  YEAH!!

Stay cool in this heat,
Janis :)

WHO LOVES CHALLENGE BLOGS?

Have you guys been over to PAPER PLAYTIME yet?

Hop on over and join in the fun for

Challenge #6 - IT'S A GUY THING.

Any paper project can be submitted!!

Some paper project ideas are:

CARD
SCRAPBOOK LAYOUT
TAG
ENVELOPE
GIFT CARD HOLDER
BOX
MINI ALBUM
MINI BOOK
INCHIES
3-D OBJECT
ALTERED ITEM
......etc.....

Come join in the fun!!

Here is my submission for this week's challenge:

There is a NEW Challenge EVERY Monday!!

:)  Janis

100+ Reading Challenge in 2010

As many of you know, I joined in on a Reading Challenge for 2010 to read a mere 100+ books.  Not too hard to do, right?  Um, it's a bit harder than I anticipated.  I love to read.  I can devour books.  Sometimes I'll read a whole book in a day - but those days are few and far between.  Most of the time it takes me 3-4 days to read a book.   Or maybe just a couple of days if it's REALLY, REALLY good!

I thought I would catch you up on where I stand on this challenge so far since it is officially the middle of the year now.  Sadly, I'm not half way to my goal yet.  Ah well.  I'd rather enjoy the books I read, than rush through them.

JULY 2010

1. Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye by Victoria Laurie
2. Poppy Done to Death by Charlaine Harris
3. Hope in a Jar by Beth Harbison
4. Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich
5. The Bikini Car Wash by Pamela Morsi
6. The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen
7. Home in Carolina by Sherryl Woods (A Sweet Magnolia Novel)

BOOKS ON THE SHELF WAITING TO BE READ NEXT:

1. Chasing Perfect by Susan Mallery (A Fool's Gold Romance)
2. Stay by Allie Larkin
3. Lowcountry Summer by Dorothea Benton Frank
4. Return to Sullivan's Island by Dorothea Benton Frank
5. Summer House by Nancy Thayer
6. Hannah's List by Debbie Macomber
7. The Summer Hideaway by Susan Wiggs

BOOKS ON ORDER WAITING TO BE SHIPPED AND READ NEXT:

1. The Wednesday Letters by Jason F. Wright
2. Ghost Shadow by Heather Graham
3. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
4. As Husbands Go by Susan Isaacs

JUNE 2010

1. Haunting Jordan by P. J. Alderman
2. Cemetery Dance by Preston & Child
3. Happiness Key by Emille Richards
4. The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand
5. A Hopeless Romantic by Harriet Evans

MAY 2010

1. Revenge of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz

***I can't believe I lost track of what***

***I was reading in May & June!***

APRIL 2010

1. Night Rising, Vampire Babylon Book 1 by Chris Marie Green
2. Sailing To Capri by Elizabeth Adler
3. Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler
4. Godmother by Carolyn Turgeon
5. Curse of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz

MARCH 2010

1. The Beach House by Jane Green
2. Benny & Shrimp by Katarina Mazetti
3. Return to Summerhouse by Jude Deveraux
4. Murder in the Raw by C. S. Challinor
5. When Autumn Leaves by Amy S. Foster

FEBRUARY 2010

1. Mighty Old Bones by Mary Saums
2. A Slice of Murder by Chris Cavender
3. Vi Agra Falls by Mary Daheim
4. Too Rich and Too Dead by Cynthia Baxter
5. Lavender Morning by Jude Deveraux

JANUARY 2010

1. The Prayer of Jabez
2. Ghosts From The Past by Glen Ebisch
3. How Not To Make A Wish by Mindy Klasky
4. There's Something About St. Tropez by Elizabeth Adler
5. A Princess of Landover by Terry Brooks
6. Ghost A La Mode by Sue Ann Jaffarian
7. Death of the Party by Carolyn Hart

TAKE TIME TO PLAY

I'm back in the GROOVE and loving it!

This is my submission for:

SENTIMENTAL SUNDAYS CHALLENGE #10: CELEBRATIONS

CRAFTY CALENDAR CHALLENGE #10: SUMMER

PILE IT ON CHALLENGE #26 - MY FAVORITE THINGS

I am loving this pitcher of lemonade cut from BLOCK PARTY @ 3".

Card base is Bright Yellow from Value Pack pre-scored for easy folding!

Background papers from Debbie Mumm.

Lemonade Pitcher papers from Recollections & Debbie Mumm.

Flower from Prima - Calypso.

Ribbon from Michael's.

Puffy Sentiment Sticker from Cloud 9.

Rhinestone flower center from Joann's.

Background mats cut @ 5 3/8" x 4 1/8" and 5 1/4" x 4".

Orange strip cut at 4" x 7/8".

Sponging around lemonade and flower with ColorBox Chalk ink.

Have a PLAYFUL day!

:) Janis

FREEDOM PAGE

What a *blast* we had July 4th weekend!  Here is a scrapbook page I did this morning (actually started it late yesterday, got frustrated with the whereabouts of all my crafting supplies in my new craft space, stopped, and rearranged my room)....

I wrote up a little blurb about the cookout we had and used photo corners to adhere it to my page.
The bottle rocket cut is from BLOCK PARTY cut @ 7".
"Freedom" is from INDEPENDENCE DAY cut @ 2".
I used PrintMaster for the write up - used font size 16pts with Amery font.
Flower at the bottom is from Prima - Calypso.
Red striped brad in flower center from Joann's.
Rhinestones & ribbon from Joann's & Michael's.
Background paper & blue strip from DCWV Flower Shower Spring Stack.
Freedom papers from Debbie Mumm & Recollections.
Bottle Rocket papers from Recollections.
Everything adhered with Scotch Photo Splits, Zots, Zig 2-Way Glue Pen, & Elmer's Glue Stick.

This is my submission for Paper Cutz Challenge #48.

Now..... what to do next?......
:) Janis

CURRENTLY READING

I'll be back in a little while with a scrapbook layout I'm working on.

What are you reading?  Anything good?  I've tried to keep track of my completed Reading List this year.  I lost track in May / June. :(  However, I have read about 30 books so far this year.  My goal was to read 100.  Ouch!  Not as easy as it sounded.  The year is half over and I'm not half-way there yet.

I am currently reading:  ABBY COOPER, PSYCHIC EYE by Victoria Laurie.  I like to read all kinds of books, but the paranormal / ghosts / etc, do tend to capture my attention quicker than others.

ON THE SHELF WAITING TO BE READ NEXT:

1. POPPY DONE TO DEATH by Charlaine Harris
2. RETURN TO SULLIVANS ISLAND by Dorothea Benton Frank
3. HOPE IN A JAR by Beth Harbison

ON ORDER / SHIPPED WAITING TO BE READ AFTER THESE:

1. THE SUMMER HIDEAWAY by Susan Wiggs
2. THE BIKINI CAR WASH by Pamela Morsi
3. LOW COUNTRY SUMMER by Dorothea Benton Frank
4. HANNAH'S LIST by Debbie Macomber
5. STAY by Allie Larkin
6. THE GIRL WHO CHASED THE MOON by Sarah Addison Allen
7. PLUM SPOOKY by Janet Evanovich
8. SUMMER HOUSE by Nancy Thayer

Now if the next TWILIGHT book would come out, I'd be in HEAVEN!  Can't wait to read the new one!!  And I wish the HARRY POTTER series would start up a new one.  I loved those books!!

Hugs,

Janis

KING OF THE COALS

Good morning!  Did everyone have a fun July 4th weekend?!  We sure did!  Finally we bought a new grill.  When we moved to Alaska last October, we sold ours.  While in Alaska we had a small one, but it stayed in storage because it was illegal to grill at the apartment.  Now back in South Carolina we finally bought a big grill again and enjoyed it all weekend!  We had family over Sunday night, and it was so much fun to sit and shoot the breeze with everyone again!!

Here is my submission for Paper Playtime's Challenge #6 -"It's A Guy Thing".  I love the title "KING OF THE COALS".   LOL  Although we usually use charcoal grills, we did buy a gas one this time.  Oh well, I still used that title on my page.

The papers are from K & Company.
The phrase is Cricut Cartridge LIFE IS A BEACH letters
cut @ 1 1/2".
The images are cut from Cricut Lite BLOCK PARTY.
COOK cut @ 4 1/2" (and even at this size the pieces are tiny - I'll cut it larger next time.)
GRILL cut @ 3".
Ribbon, buttons, rhinestones, square paperclips... all from Joann's or Michael's.

Just a HEAD'S UP for you.  I don't know what I've done to the Paper Playtime blog, but it isn't showing the comments.  I've reset it several times, they will show, and then they are gone again.  What's up with THAT?!  Please leave a comment there so I can continue to monitor and test that section.  THANKS!!

HUGS,
Janis

SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS NATIONAL BASEBALL CHAMPIONS

Above is a picture of our South Carolina State Capitol proudly flying the 

American Flag

State Flag

and the University of South Carolina GAMECOCKS FLAG

We are the National Baseball Champions!

Woo-Hoo!!  Go Cocks!

Below is a super funny video a friend posted on Facebook this morning.  

My favorite line is "King of the Coals".  It fits right in with us since we love to cookout!!

Enjoy!

The video was made by Church On The Move.
You may want to watch it on the YouTube page.  It cuts off half the frame on my blog wall for some reason.