Mystery at the Dog Park

 Thursday, March 28, 2024

Post #2 for today! I wanted to participate in the Inky Paws Challenge and just realized I'd better get this in today as the challenge ends tomorrow. Here's my card:

It's hard to go wrong with any of the Newton Nook's Designs stamps but I was challenge by the sketch.

All those layers got a bit tricky for me as I wanted my puppy to be the star of the card and not get lost among all those fun patterns. I used the Puppy's Reading List stamp set, which is so fun and cute, and the papers from the Coffee House Stories  6 x6 Paper Pad. I did emboss my craft card base with a paw print embossing folder from my stash. 

So that's it for me today! I need to tidy up my crafting zone and do a few other chores.

Happy Stamping!

Tracy

Hello Sunshine!

 Thursday, March 28, 2024

Well, as I am writing this blog post it is pouring rain outside! Too funny. I actually am enjoying the rain. I know sunshine is coming...and my to do list is growing for jobs that will need to be done outside.

Today's card is bright and cheery though!

I loved the sketch LeAnne chose for The Paper Players challenge this week.

I used a Pumpkin Pie card base. I haven't used that color in awhile! I used a matte of Lemon Lolly and a bright piece of the Flowering Zinnias DSP. My little flowers come from an older SU! set called Under My Umbrella. I colored them with SU! Blends in Azure Afternoon, Berry Burst, Highland Heather and Granny Apple Green. 

Such a fun sketch! I must make another one or two cards using it!

Happy Stamping!

Tracy

Little Brown Bird

 Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Back in the day when we were homeschooling Steven and Taylor...we had a nature class with some friends. We went to a local nature park and there a nature enthusiast taught us sooo many things! Names of trees, flowers, weeds and birds. I remember one of the kids pointed to a little bird and asked what it was. The nature enthusiast replied, "Oh, that's a LBJ."  "LBJ?" "Little brown job". It was just a little brown bird, one of many, and that's what she called them! Too funny! So....today's card features a LBJ! 

I am playing along with Can You Handle the Pressure with a Twist on Birds. My card base is Bubble Bath. I used a layer of Copper Clay. I used the Softly Sophisticated EF on a piece of Fresh as a Daisy DSP. My LBJ is from Friendly Hello stamped with Pretty Peacock ink and I colored it with Copper Clay Blends.

Another easy peasy card. 

Happy Stamping!

Tracy

Dairy Little Christmas

 Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Today's  card makes me happy! One of my DIL's loves cows and I made this with her in mind. I am going to make a set of these to gift to her. 

Those farm critters are from Newton's Nook Designs Dairy Christmas. Adorable, right?! I loved coloring them with the SU! Blends. The fence is a die from NND's. I used SU!'s Merry Melody EF and stamped the sentiment on a tag from the Stylish Shapes dies. 

I'm participating in the Peace on Earth Christmas Challenge #60.

Happy Stamping!

Tracy

I Will Always

 Monday, March 25, 2024

Happy Monday! My favorite day of the week! It is Spring Break here in Oregon and both my DIL's have the week off and both families are "doing their thing" which means I have the week off from Gigi duty to do my thing! Today will be housekeeping day as most Mondays are but first a really super quick and cute card for the Word Power #3 challenge this month.

I used a Copper Clay card base and cut a piece of the Fresh As a Daisy DSP 4" x 5-1/4". I stamped the sentiment from Friendly Conversation with Copper Clay ink and added a few of the '23-'25 In Color Dots. That's it! I am seriously on a mission to use up all the pretty papers I've collected...LOL! I don't think that is possible in my lifetime but I'll have fun trying! 

Here's a couple pics of the grand girls from last week.

Paisley intently watching the remote helicopter Poppy is flying.

Apparently Autumn got stuck on the stairs. She cracks me up! At least she is cautious. Her dad was right there.

Happy Stamping!

Tracy

Bee Mine

 Sunday, March 4, 2024

 Today's post is strictly for my own documentation.  To help me remember/recall this project. LOL!

Time flies! This was the make-n-take we did at our monthly craft gathering in February:

I took a quick snapshot of it after I had designed it. I came acrossed it recently and realized I needed to write this up.  I used Stampin' Up!'s  Bee My Valentine stamp set and Bee Builder Punch.  I filled it with two Hershey Nuggets.

Details: 

• Sweet Sorbet cardstock 2-5/8 x 3-1/4" cut with the largest rectangular die from Nested Essentials; score 1/2" on all size, cut up side corners to create the box base.

• Be Mine DSP (same size as CS) cut 2 with the same die; adhere to box base; clip together with a small clothespin. 

• Daffodil Delight cardstock 1-3/4" x 2-1/4" stamp bee body with Memento Black ink. I used the Stamparatus for mulitple stamping to get good coverage. Punch with Bee Builder Punch.

• Vellum 1-1/2" x 3-1/4" stamp wings and antennae using StazOn black ink. Punch with Bee Builder Punch.

• Assemble Bee; adhere to one side with dimensionals.

• Basic White cardstock scap piece for sentiment. Stamp in Memento Black cut with flagged tag die from the Cracker and Treat Box dies. Adhere to side with dimensionals. I added two loops of gold thread to the back of this sentiment. I added a little bling with a flower from the Hearts and Flowers.

And next to that picture was this picture of the Farmer and I with our son, Taylor. We were enjoying an evening with him watching a basketball game his brother was coaching! It's always a treat to be with our adult children!

Happy Stamping!

Tracy

Friends Forever

 Friday, March 15, 2024

It's a sunny and windy Friday here on the farm. So nice! I had some studio time today which made me happy! My card today uses SU! Cottage Rose bundle.

I've had this focal image stamped for a long time and finally colored it with my SU Blends. I used Flirty Flamingo, Granny Apple Green and Daffodil Delight.  I cut it out with the coordinating die and popped it up on dimensionals, of course! My strip of DSP is from the Just Kidding pack. I LOVE this DSP and would have NEVER bought it except it was a SAB item! The sentiment is from the Cottage Rose stamp set also.

I'm entering two challenges with this card. Freshly Made Sketches

and Retro Rubber Challenge #226

Cottage Rose is at least 2 years old. I actually thought it was older. Time flies and stamps come and go quickly! I hope this rose is a spring flower. 😅 I'm sure somewhere it is! Although I think the wild roses around here do start blooming in late spring and smell so good!

My schedule has been filled to the brim over the last month!  Last week I did alot of childcare! I gotta say I was wiped out. Autumn had ear tubes put in Wednesday morning. Wow! It was quick and she did great! Oh, how we hope and pray this will eliminate those nasty ear infections! Look at this happy girl! This was the same day of her procedure. 

And her cousin, Paisley, spent some time with us. Look at this girl's hair! Gigi hadn't fixed it yet! 😅

Happy Stamping, my friends!

Tracy

Just Kidding!

 Monday, February 26, 2024

Happy Monday! It has been a great Monday here! Very productive! I love Mondays! And I'm excited to share today's card. I  was inspired by The Paper Players Sketch Challenge PP678 this week.

Here's my card:

When I first looked at the Just Kidding DSP I saw this image and loved it. My BFF immediatley said, "I love you no matter what!" I knew I had to make a card! The Paper Players sketched made it easy to use more of the DSP to create my card.

Card Details:

• Pretty Peacock card base
• Just Kidding DSP: 4"x 5-1/4";  2 x 3-3/4";  2-1/4" x 4-3/4"; adhere to card base as shown
• Basic White approximately 1-1/4" x 3" stamp sentiment from SU!'s Bee My Valentine in Pretty Peacock. Cut using die from Stylish Shapes dies. Adhere to card base with dimensionals.
• Cut image from DSP; adhere with dimensionals
• I added 3 sequins from the Shiny Sequins (SU! Online Exclusive available March 5)

I'm going to have to make several of these now. I have a list of people I want to send one too!

And here is Autumn yesterday during church. Her momma was doing the livestream and Gigi (me) was trying to keep here contained! 😂 I guess you can see how well that went!

Happy Stamping!

Tracy

Thank you

 Sunday, February, 25, 2024

I'm playing along with the Stampin' Up! Only Challenge SUOC 345 and realized I needed to submit this now as the challenge ends in a few hours! They want your favorite florals.

I used SU!'s Simply Zinnia stamp set an Online Exclusive available March 5. I stamped the flowers in Berry Burst on Bubble Bath cardstock which I cut with the Perennial Postage dies. I adhere it to a Berry Burst layer which was cut with the same dies. The sentiment is from the same stamp set. I stamped it using Encore Silver ink and fussy cut around it and popped it up with dimensionals. I added a few Matte Black Dots.

I'm also entering it in the Simply Clean & Simple February Challenge where Anything Goes with an optional theme of PINK! I hope it is clean and simple enough...for me it is!

Happy Stamping!

Tracy

Catching Up

 Sunday, February 25, 2024

Wow! A month has flown by without a blog post. We were gone a week camping in February. Had a great time. My cousin and her husband joined us...fun! Our first camping trip with them. Growing up our families camped together every summer except my cousin never joined us! She hated camping and would go stay at Grandma's or our aunt's house! 😂 Now she and I are the only ones that camp from those two families. Here's a pic of Gunner. He is biggest of my cousin's three dogs!

After the campout I spent the following week taking care of a sick granddaughter, Autumn. 😞 So sick with croup and an ear infection. Thankfully she was better by the weekend and we all went down to the beach to celebrate her first birthday! Katie's aunt allowed us the use of her beach house for the weekend! It was so nice. Autumn had a 'mermaid' themed party. Her outfit was so cute!

Hard to believe she is ONE! She never did touch her cake or eat a piece. 😂 We had a wonderful weekend with the kids. By the time we got home I was coming down with a cold. I spent most of this past week dealing with it along with getting our tax info to the accountant, dealing with things here at home, etc. 

I made a few cards with the SU! Simply Zinnia bundle coming to the Online Exclusives March 5. The cards are okay. I was playing with the Zinnia EF and the Glimmer paper. I like the look of it on the white. It popped the most. I can't believe I didn't take a picture of the card I made for  Autumn's birthday! Ugh! I'll have to get one next time I'm at their house which will be this week!

Okay, I think that's a quick overview of the last few weeks.

Happy Stamping!

Tracy

Because of You

 Tuesday, January 23, 2024

Life is picking up steam and time in the studio is limited! Here's today's card:

I'm entering it in two challenges. SUO Challenge #343 has a color challenge of Sweet Sorbet, Petal Pink, Daffodil Delight, Pool Party and Lemon Lime Twist. I used each of the colors on the sentiment. The card base is Lemon Lime Twist and I embossed another piece of it with the Countryside Blossoms EF. I have a hard time photographing that Lemon Lime Twist color! Is it just me?! I used the Sweet Sorbet ribbon to help make everything pop. 

I'm entering it in the Word Power #1 Challenge where the main focus of your card is a sentiment or word.

I was driving the back roads to our house today when a large white spot caught my eye at the top of this tree.

Can you see it? Here it is up close...even though it isn't a great photo either.

It was a Bald Eagle! I was pretty happy to see him perched up there looking over the Grauer Farm.

The eagle symbolizes bravery, strength, power and freedom. We see eagles around here from time to time but I always find it to be a sacred experience. A blessing!

Happy Stamping!

Tracy

Winter

 Monday, January 22, 2024

Happy Monday! Here's today's card:

I'm participating in a couple challenges. The Paper Players want a CAS Winter Fun!

At Color Throwdown  they are looking for Blush, Dusty Blue and Pink.

My card came together rather quickly. I'd been eyeing this sweet image from SU!'s Greeting Card Kids. I colored it using Boho Blue and Pink Pirouette Blends. I used a Stylish Shapes die to cut the image out and I  used my Darice snowflake EF again! I added some Boho Blue ink to the embossed snowflakes and popped the image up on dimensionals. 

Yesterday was a delight being with the family! The granddaughters were great. Paisley, the older one, now plays Duck, Duck, Goose! Oh my gosh! We were sitting around the table and she starts going around saying Duck, Duck...she gets to me and says "GIGI" (my grandma name) and takes off running! So, off I went chasing her around the table. So fun! We did it many, many times!  Here we all are:

Happy Stamping!

Tracy

Bee-u-tiful!

 Sunday, January 21, 2024

Well, we made it through a wintry week of weather, a sick baby girl and a week of crafting fun! Today's post is just for fun, no challenges for this project.

I made a perpetual calendar for my crafty friends but have yet to give to them as our craft event was cancelled last Saturday due to our winter storm.

I used the easel design for it and added the post-it notes to the base. I'm always searching for a post-it! I have them strategically placed, I guess, where I  can't find them! LOL! I made my own DSP by stamping the honeycomb stamp from Bee My Valentine in Daffodil Delight onto Daffodil Delight cardstock. My cute little bee is made from Daffodil Delight cardstock and it's wings are from vellum. I popped the bee up on dimensionals and adhered to a square of the Bee Mine DSP. That perfect little 'Bee-u-tiful' is from the old, but well loved Punny-licious stamp set by Robyn Cardon. 

I'm having the kids over for birthday dinner after church today. Taylor's birthday is tomorrow. Oh! and so is mine! LOL! We share a birthday if you can "beelieve" that! 

Happy Stamping!

Tracy

In The Moment

 Saturday, January 20, 2024

Today's card uses SU!'s In The Moment stamp set. It's a set I haven't used enough!

I'm playing along with the Freshly Made Sketches #619 this week.

My card base is Misty Moonlight. I embossed a piece of the mother of pearl specialty paper (not sure of its official name) with the Exposed Brick EF and wrapped a piece of burlap-like ribbon round it. My image is stamped in Mememto Black ink and I colored it using these SU! Blends: Light and Dark Misty Moonlight, Light and Dark Crumb Cake Light Gray Granity and Light Seaside Mist. I used the retired square dies to cut it out and popped it up with dimensionals.

Happy Stamping!

Tracy

Let it Snow!

Friday, January 19, 2024

While it was snowing I was creating and came up with this card :

We probably got enough snow to make this cute little snowman! I'm participating in two challenges. The Simply Clean & Simple theme is WINTER.

The Retro Rubber Challenge #222 is WINTER FUN.

My card base is Boho Blue. I added an embossed layer using an old Darice EF. I don't think I even realized I had a snowflake EF...and I don't have THAT many embossing folders! 😬 So I am glad I found it and used it! My snowman comes from SU!'s Snow Place stamp set with matching dies. The stamp set must be at least 9 years old but I'm not sure. It doesn't seem THAT old! 

Our winter wonderland is slowly melting away. Everything is very wet now! Here's a picture from the other morning when everything was iced over:

I'm off to spend the day with my granddaughter, Autumn. She's been a sick little girl...ear infection and lots of congestion. She needs her Gigi! 

Happy Stamping!

Tracy

Rejoice!

 Thursday, January 18, 2024

What a lovely week it has been. Our winter storm has stretched itself out into multiple days and as I write this everything is a sheet of ice outside. It should all be wet and rainy by the end of the day. I have loved the slower pace, extra time to think, create, read and relax. I do miss the grandbabies! It is highly unlikely I'll be able to keep up this blogging pace once life returns to "normal" but in Studio 1.15 I can dream! 😀

Today's card:

A Christmas card! The first of 2024! I am playing along with the Peace on Earth Christmas Challenge #55 where they have a beautiful mood board.

My inspiration for this card came from the DSP which is Earthen Elegance. From there I grabbed this wreath from the Natural Prints that I've been loving lately. I cut three different metallic and glittery wreaths and layered them all together. I finisished it off with a gold ribbon bow, a few chunky embellishments and the sentiment from Peaceful Nativity (ret.) My card base is Copper Clay. I ended up making multiples of this card! Yea! 

Happy Stamping!

Tracy

Udderly Amazing!

 Wednesday, January 15, 2024

Today's card uses SU!'s Cutest Cows bundle.

I love all things cute and whimsy and this stamp set is definitely cute and whimsy! I am entering two challenges.  Sunday Stamps Challenge 326  has a fun sketch.

And the Paper Players  has a fun color challenge.

My pop of color is red as in Cherry Cobbler. This piece of DSP is from Day at the Farm which is from last year's SAB. I used the Softly Sophisticated EF thinking it looked like wire fencing or something. Lol! I don't know! 

Happy Stamping!

Tracy

A Cozy Thank You

 Tuesday, January 16, 2024

Today's card was a fun and cozy card to make.

And it is for Newton's Nook Designs Inky Paws Challenge #214  where the theme is Warm and Cozy.

I used NND's Cozy Home stamp set. It's so cute! I stamped the images, colored them with alcohol markers and adhere them to my cute papered "room" card.  My lovely friend took the minutes for me at a meeting I missed last week when I was sick with the icky fever so this card is in the mail to her!

Happy Stamping!

Tracy

Happy Birthday

 Monday, January 15, 2024

Today's card is another birthday card. I never have enough birthday cards.

I used the As You See It  Challenge #314 sketch:

I used Boho Blue for my card base. I haven't used this color hardly at all and I like it! I'm not sure why I haven't used it. The Flight and Airy DSP inspired me to use it! I cut the birds from the paper. During our winter storm the birds huddled together and that was my inspiration for this card. The flowers were punched using the Petal Park Builder Punch. I added some Linen Thread to inspire building material for the birds! I love watching the birds gather all kinds of things when they are building their nests. 

Our winter storm wasn't too bad. Sunday was a nice day and we were able to get our and go for a walk. 

Happy Stamping!

Tracy