Don't forget the Olympic Games

Sorry not clickable -- see link below.

Don't forget to check out JLO's Olympic games.

There is lots of info in a nice clean table on her web page here -- http://www.jessicalynnoriginal.com/

Just click on the cute little mummy on JessicaLynn's page! :)
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Here are some more RAKs I received in the past couple of days. The first one is from my dear SBS sister, Sparkle Smith. Recently married and still finding the time to share a bella with a friend. Thanks so much, Sparkle. I love all the shimmer on her dress! For more bella goodness, check out Sparkle's blog by clicking on her name above.
And this one is from Deb Routledge. This one came all the way from the UK. I just think receiving mail from out of the US is SO cool! :) Her creations with these sweet Sugar Nellies are just BEAUTIFUL. Check out her blog by clicking on her name above.


Thanks ladies for making my day extra special.

Swaps are coming along

Well, the card swaps I am hostessing at SCS are coming along. The birthday card front swap mentioned below is due by Feb 29, so it doesn't seem to have as many participants. I guess maybe I made it too soon. I am also hostessing a Pimped ATC swap, and a Hanna swap, which are due April 18th and March 28th respectively. I realized that I haven't posted a challenge yet this month, so . . . I challenge you to join us for some fun swapping of cards and there will be prizes given away for the top 3 submissions. These are judged by me, family and friends. Your odds are pretty good if you have the time to send your submissions by Feb 29th for the b-day card front swap. If that is too soon, the other swaps are still open for quite a while. Check them out, if you would like.










Here are some of the cards for the birthday card front swap so far. The first one I called priceless birthday is by Sarah Wade (known on SCS as MrsE) and was created for the feminine/ladies' group.

These three were created by me for the ladies' group, guy's group and the children's group. I used a mixture of different stamp companies from Sugar Nellies to Stampin Up (SU) to The Angel Company (TAC). I have to admit, I enjoyed every one of them.

The sugar nellie was colored with prismacolors, gamsoled and then after layering a bit of different colors, some doodling, some primas (which I haven't used in a while), Stickles and 2 different ribbon to finish it off. I just had to get a few embellishments on there. *wink*


The guy card didn't have as much going on, so I opted for more layers and sponging of color to keep this interesting. The Riveting sentiment was a much needed addition to unbalance it out a bit to get away from a totally central focus.

The little boy card was fun in the different shades of green I also used textured card stock for depth, ink distressing or sponging, and my favorite technique of coloring with prismacolors and gamsoling them. I thought the strips of ribbon separated the images nicely too.

Christmas card RAKs and Card for Mom

Well, I finished one card today and then got some other things done around the house for Christmas. I just wanted to share this adorable Sugar Nellie image with you. She is actually called "Nellie sitting with heart." My mother is rather blue and missing family, so I wanted to send her a card (even though we will see her this coming Saturday) to try and cheer her up a little. These sweet images were sent to me from Nancy P (crooked river at SCS). The card base is barely banana cs with the blue patterned paper (get this . . . from a Kleenex box--got this idea from Gina K, and it was too pretty to throw out), certainly celery stamped with Floral bg stamp and clear embossed to add some texture. The sugar nellie image was colored with my prismacolor pencils and gamsoled, touched up with some markers here and there to add more color, and then stickles for some sparkle. She is sitting on a sentiment from the Sincere Salutations set layered on black cs. A little paper piercing at the bottom, 2 pale yellow MM brads, and white satin ribbon added to add some softness to the card as well. I sure hope it cheers Mom up a little. She just misses us all right now, and I CAN'T WAIT to go up and see her and Dad soon.

Couple of Christmas tree pics for y'all to see too. We haven't used tinsel since my son was a baby and couldn't touch the tree. Now with animals it is not practical either, so . . . may be a little plain, but I love it just the same. These were both taken with the lights out, and on the nighttime setting. I was trying to get the pretty glow of the lights. The second pic was touched up in Photo Shop (as I was trying to make it look dark).

Guess Buddy thought his toys looked good under the tree too. LOL That is him off to the left there. He's our big furry baby.

The rest of these pics are from my good friends and now adopted sisters from SCS. See my homemade Christmas cards below. . . Thanks, again, ladies! :) Kelly