The Giraffe

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Something a little different from me today.  I finally broke down and bought several Blue Knight stamps the other day.  Love them!!!  I kept seeing so many pretty cards with them so just had to jump in and get my feet wet too.  I love this one with the tree and giraffe.  It also comes with a pretty sentiment but since I was going to use it for a guys birthday card, I added a very old one from Simon Says Stamp instead.   I blended several of the oxide inks for the background and then stamped over that with a stencil with a walnut brown oxide .  I thought it gave the background sort of a giraffe-y look.

That's it folks.......a quick card.

Thanks for stopping by........
Lynn

Fun Friday - Pumping Iron (Sorta)

Ok, so some of us are in self isolation, self quarantine, sheltered in place, staying at home, or on house arrest (yikes - not really I hope).  Anyway, it's Friday and most people need a little fun in their life today I think.

I've been staying at home/self isolation/banned from leaving the house by the kids......and I decided that instead of just sitting around all day long, we needed to do a little exercise.  (Quit laughing)!  Anyway, the oldest granddaughter who is in college is now back home for online classes due to the university shutting down.  The granddaughter who is in the 7th grade is also at home for online classes due to her school shutting down.  And last but not least, my daughter, who is a principal, is also doing the online deal making sure all the teachers do whatever they're suppose to be doing online...........so..............(Lots of online stuff going on here as you can see)

I think the two granddaughters have a daily contest to see who can sleep the longest and I determined that needed to stop and we all needed to get moving up here.  Ok, so the youngest gets out the computer and puts it on some online exercise class.  What a frigging joke this is!!!!!  The instructor or whoever she is looks like she weighs about 90 pounds soaking wet - and can bend anything on her body. They really should have normal people doing this type of thing. 

Ok - we all line up.  The two girls in the front, my daughter, and then the two dogs and I dragging up the rear.  We start doing all these fun little kicks and jumps and I'm actually doing fairly good (for an elderly person).  And then...........she says everyone has to get down on the floor and do a couple of pushups.  HA!  I get down on the floor, the dogs think this is best time ever and start licking me all over, I almost get one push up done, and then she says lets all get up again and do some jumping jacks.  Oh PLEASE!  I just got down on the floor.  So the two granddaughters and my daughter finally get me up back into a standing position.  I'm so tired now I can't even move - so I head to the couch and watch them sweat.  SO MUCH EASIER!!!  I've told them all they can now sleep as late as they want around here!

Thanks for stopping by...........and have a laid back weekend!
Lynn

Practice

Oh my goodness!  It's been way too long since I even attempted one of the watercolor images from Art Impressions.  I love looking at them and even have several of the stamp sets - however, have I been using them.......of course not!  I DO need a lot more practice though!

Times are changing and so I think maybe I'll start trying to change a little too.  You'll see still my usual type cards (can probably pick them out of a line-up pretty easy) but ever so often I'll be trying to toss something else in the mix.

Also, big decision here to quit watching the news so much.  So many are idiots and like Darnell always says.....life is short!  It really is -  and damn, it's getting shorter every day!  LOL!  So, I'm determined to be happy for whatever is left of this old life.  I'm not sticking my head in the sand - too much.

Everyone stay safe AND healthy!

Thanks for stopping by.......
Lynn

A Bit of Rain - And A Tiny Frog

A very quick card using an image from StarStampz who is the sponsor of our new challenge at Pammie's Inky Pinkies!!!  It's an Anything Goes challenge as always and we'd love for you to play along for a chance to win. 

StarStampz provided the DT with images to use and they have so many cute ones to choose from.  My card is SUPER simple - a little coloring, adding a couple of clouds, some patterned paper, a frame, and that's it.  Still think it'll be a cute card to send to someone. (Did you spot the tiny frog)?

Stay safe and healthy!

Thanks for stopping by........and come on over and enter Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenge!
Lynn

Shucks and a Howdy Ho

Just a couple of little gals - one saying Howdy and one saying Shucks!  VERY simple but two more cards done that  I probably needed to add to the stash anyway.  Clouds, grass, sentiment, paper piecing, twine, coloring.....done deal.

Update on things.......It's a crazy world out there right now so I'm hoping everyone is staying safe and healthy.  I, for one, have been self isolating /banned from going anywhere by the kids.  I don't need this mess and don't want it either so will do everything I can to keep from catching it. I find it a little hard to concentrate on things at times and probably need to quit watching the news.......but then again, how will we know what's happening if we don't watch the news.  It's not as bad here as it is in a lot of places yet and I'm thankful for that.

It's even hard to see much humor in things like this knowing how serious this crazy virus has been, is, and will get worse.  Stay healthy!

Thanks for stopping by........
Lynn

Yummy Birthday Cake - Jan's Digis

Time again for another Anything Goes challenge over at Jan's Digital Shop Challenge.  Come on over and join us for your chance to win some of Jan's wonderful images.

I went super duper clean and simple on this one today.  I even used the colored version.   I can smell that vanilla icing all the way down here in Texas.  Absolutely the only thing I did to this card was add the ribbon and sentiment (that's part of the set for this image), add some pink rhinestones on the cake plate, and then mount it on some blue card stock.  It was quick and easy - yes - BUT will make a great birthday card too!

I loved the cake plate with this image.  My mother was a teacher and then librarian with the school system when I was growing up and she also made wedding cakes on the side and sold them.  I still have her cake plates and they're so pretty.  Oh, and no, I was NOT allowed to help out making them - in fact I was banned from the kitchen and dining room as she cooked and decorated.  I couldn't even run through the house out of fear the cake would "fall".  She'd do all the decorations by hand and then put them in the refrigerator on wax paper - tiny little flowers and leaves, etc.  SOOOO pretty and  tempting to eat.  ( Yep, they were tasty.  I didn't mind very well!)

Thanks for stopping by...and come on over and join in on our challenge!

Lynn

Birthday Flowers

I really have needed these flowers to brighten up my life lately.  I've been so far under the weather I wasn't sure (and still aren't sure) if I'd ever pull out of it.  Things are slowly but surely getting a little better though I guess.  Anyway, that's why I haven't been around. 

The flower image is from Studio Katia.  Love the flowers and wish I was looking at the real thing.  Still too early around here to even plant anything and that's sad.  I need to see some flowers!!!  I used my Tri-Blend Spectrum Noir markers to color the flowers and then added a sentiment for this clean and simple card. 

Thanks for stopping by........
Lynn

Friends Make Life Sweet - PIP Challenge

Hey guys, it's time again for another challenge from Pammie's Inky Pinkies!  It's an Anything Goes challenge once again so be sure and come on over and enter your card or project for a chance to win.  We're being sponsored this time by The Cutting Cafe who also provided us with the digi images to use.

I'm not sure I've ever done any kind of shaped card before but........I used the mason jar image with the top and the label for the front.  I tied some twine around the top and then added pearls.  Yikes!  I can't even remember when the last time I used pearls on anything but it seemed to dress this up a little bit I thought.  I also stamped the sentiment in some blue ink and then added a tiny die cut heart with a pearl in the center.   I was going to bake up some banana bread or something and show that in the photo with this but well, it seems the banana bread got baked but was eaten before I could get the picture.  Such is life!

Thanks for stopping by......and come on over to enter our challenge!

Lynn

Some Bunny

We have another challenge starting today over at Jan's Digi Stamps Challenge.  It's always an Anything Goes challenge which makes it super easy to play along.  You could be a winner to and receive some wonderful images from Jan's shop so be sure and come on over and enter your card or project.
Note:  A couple of changes will with the April challenge next month.  First of all we'll be doing two random draws...one for those using one of Jan's digi's and one for everyone else.  We'll also be going to a monthly challenge instead of twice a month.  This will give you a longer time to submit your entry.

I've used one of her new releases called Cottontail.   Isn't that a cute little bunny!  I used the pre-colored version but it also comes in black and white - along with some cool looking and pretty Easter eggs.  Be sure and check out the set of images and I know you'll fall in love with them.  I printed the image and sentiment on some linen type paper, added the little "cotton tail",  and that was about it.  Makes for a cute card though.  The patterned paper is from Lawn Fawn.

Thanks for stopping by ..........
Lynn

Hoot Hoot Hooray! - 2 CCC

We have a special treat today over at our 2 Crafty Critter Crazies Challenge!  Our sponsor is Donna Ellis of Creative Smiles!  Donna not only has a wonderful blog, but also did this fabulous image for us to use on our challenge today - featuring the Great Horned Owl.  It comes in the pre-colored version and also black and white - along with a sentiment too!  Thank you Donna for letting us use this fantastic image!

Come on over and play along in our challenge and you could also receive this set of The Great Horned Owl images from Donna.  The challenge is always Anything Goes and all you have to do is have some type of critter on your card or project.

I did something a little different for my hooter card today ---- Distressed.  EEK!  I haven't done that in several years I'm sure but this little guy just called for it somehow.  I used the pre-colored version because Donna had done such a great job of coloring him and I wanted to show that off.  I used some Very Vanilla card stock from Stampin' Up (not sure they even have that anymore) and some patterned papers from CTMH.  I love using the CTMH papers for distressing since it's white core.  This paper is also very old like the SU card stock.  I cut the owl out with a MFT stitched oval and added some distress ink and twine.

Thanks for stopping by..........and come on over and join in on the challenge.

Lynn