TRYING HARD TO GET BACK!

It has been a long uphill road since getting released from my 16 day stay in the hospital.  I finally completed the out patient end of the program on Friday and have appointments and/or referrals for the dentist, chiropractor, neurologist, psychiatrist, therapist, opthamologist, hematologist and my DO for B12 shots a few times a week.  As I left the hospital on my way to my first appointment with the chiropractor I crashed my car.  So, things are still not really looking totally up...but at least I know and recognize my name and the year.  I finally sat down in my art area and was able to complete a card that meets the criteria for a few of the current challenges that I found.

I started by deciding to create a card with bling for the Creative Cards challenge over at Colorful Creations. Next I chose to create a round card for the Use Circles challenge at Whoopsi Daisy.  I then used the inspiration photo and instructions over at the Shabby Tea Room for the Spring Bliss challenge #163 which required the photo for inspiration as well as the colors yellow, green and white or cream as well as polka dots and flowers.

The inspiration photo:

and to complete it I used buttons for challenge #161 Use Buttons at Critter Sketch Challenge Blog.  Finally I used the sentiment 'Lifting you up in Prayer' for challenge #77 at Word Art Wednesday.

And when I put all that together here is what I came up with:

I am hoping to possibly start something else now to try and keep those creative juices flowing and to get back up to my usual flow very soon.  Thanks so much for stopping by.  I have missed hearing from you all.

SORRY FOR THE LONG ABSENCE

I have missed you all, and have missed creating but I had a health crisis and had to spend a few weeks in the hospital.  I am home now, significantly improved but not totally whole again yet but working hard at it.

Tonite I finally did a bit of creating.  A young girl at our church that I like very much is spending the weekend at Chrysalis - a Christian Retreat for teens.  Pastor asked me if I would write her a note of encouragement.  Although I'm sure I could have done it just on a piece of paper it wouldn't be me if I didn't create a card for the message and it was so good to create even though it took me much longer than usual.

So here is my first creation since being home-

I used sketch #288 by Mojo Monday.

and this week's Critter Sketch Challenge which was to use Washi Tape/Fabric Tape/Paper Tape.  I used Washi Tape for the 3 horizontal pennants.

And here is the card:

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I have missed you all so much.

ONLY ONE TONIGHT

I was only able to complete one layout tonight but it was out of my comfort zone and it turns out I am pretty happy with it.  I started it for Random Wednesday on the Colorful Creations .  I used twine for Critter Sketch challenge #155 Use Twine, Kaboodle Doodle #162 - 3 Dimensional, There She Goes #198 Color Challenge - several shades of green, Pink Elephant TPE190 Happy St. Patrick's Day - use the color green, Shabby Tea Room #157 - Oh So Pretty in Pink, Whoopsi Daisy Buttons or Bows (or both!) and Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes #70.

Here is the color palette I worked with:

some inspiration:

and here is my layout:

It's late and I am expecting a long day tomorrow so I will be off to bed.  Sweet dreams to all!  I'd love to hear comments if you have the time!

SUNDAY EVENING

Here's a simple little card I put together this afternoon.  I used sketch #153 from Critter Sketch Challenge, an extra layer of popped up corners for My Craft Spot #88 Pop It Up challenge, kraft paper and a sketch for The Kraft Journal, some really old photo corners by K&Company for Cute Card Thursday and lots of layers for Colorful Creations Creative Monthly Project.

The Sketch:

My Card:

Thanks for stopping by.  Check in again in a bit as I may be able to squeeze in another project!

SHABBY ELEGANCE

My last creation for the evening is a Christmas card.  The challenge this week at the Shabby Tea Room was to use Aqua and Brown with a Silver element.  Merry Monday at Always Playing with Paper was to create an elegant Christmas card.  At Critter Sketch Challenge the theme was snowflakes and for Incy Wincy you needed to pop something up.  I used the required colors, both which were printed with snowflakes.  My silver element is an angel whose wings are popped up.  Oh, and there was a sketch I based it on from Dutch Dare.  

The Color Palette:

The sketch:

My card:

Sweet Dreams.  See you back here tomorrow with more new creations!  Thanks for stopping by.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day so I worked up a few cards for the occasion.  The first uses sketch #280 from Mojo Monday, the colors red and purple for Critter Sketch Blog Challenge #151, Feelin the Love for Love to Create Challenge #52, For Your Sweetheart for My Craftspot Challenge #86, From the Heart using a stamp for Stamptacular Sunday Challenge #202.

The sketch:

My Card:

My next card uses sketch #87 from Deconstructing Jen, uses hearts for Dilly Beans, Love is in the Air Challenge #186 at the Pink Elephant, the colors Red, Pink and White for PWC245 at Paper Pretties and a Valentines Day Card for Kaboodle Doodle Challenge #158.

The Sketch:

My Card:

Wishing you all a very happy and loving Valentine's Day!  Thanks for stopping by.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY FRIEND

Just finished up working on a birthday card that takes in several challenges...

I used Pretty Palette #80 over at My Time Made Easy

Francesca's Sketch #142 over at Sunday Sketch and Stamp

Some square metal brads for the Use Metal Challenge at Critter Sketch Challenge and I made it a Birthday card for challenge #84 Wish Big over at My Craft Spot and Anything Goes #65 at Word Art Wednesday.

Now finally here is my card:

Thanks for stopping by again.  Hope you are having a Super Sunday!

HAPPY SUNDAY!

Happy Sunday!  What a good day I had today.  First church then teaching the teen Sunday School class.  Today I did art journaling with them incorpoating scripture.  They had a lot of fun.  It is so good to be able to share creativity.  Then I had a nice nap, some prayer time and went to a great woman's meeting.  Came home, had dinner and created a card for the following challenges:

I used this sketch from Critter Sketch challenges:

ABC Christmas - A is for Animals - penguin

Die-Cuttin Divas - Penguins - the penguin is a stamp.  My diecuts are the white rectangle that the penguin is stamped on which is the center of a Sizzix frame and the snowflake which is a Sizzlets die.

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge - Christmas in January

Here is my card:

Hope that you enjoyed stopping by and that you too had a Happy Sunday!

Christmas is in the air!

My three cards for this evening are Christmas Cards.  I was inspired by sketches and by some Basic Grey Figgy Pudding diecuts I had in my stash.  Here they are:

Sketch #1 from Critter Sketch Challenge Blog

Card #1

Sketch #2 from Feeling Sketchy

Card #2

Sketch #3 from Always Playing With Paper's Merry Monday challenge:

Card #3

Hope you have enjoyed this merry trio!  Sweet dreams until tomorrow!

ALMOST NATIONAL CARD MAKING DAY!

Before I head to bed I thought it would be appropriate to post a card in honor of tomorrow's National Card Making Day...

Over at Colorful Creations there is a fun crop going on this weekend.  There is a challenge for a card using fall colors and a fall themed stamp.

There was a recipe over at Critter Sketch Challenge Blog that called for 2 different colors of paper, 2 different ribbons and 2 brads.  I opted to use patterned papers so that the solids I used and the ribbons I used also came from those colors.

I put these together and came up with this card:

Thanks for stopping by to see my card.  Hope that you will also stop by and join in the fun at the crop over at Colorful Creations. 

O CHRISTMAS TREE!

Tonite I decided to work on a few more Christmas cards.  Inspiration for the first card came from Always Playing with Paper's Merry Monday challenge.  The challenge calls for making a Christmas card using this great clean and simple sketch:

Here is card #1:

My next card comes from the Mojo Monday Round or Square challenge sketch.  I opted for the square.  Here is the sketch:

Card #2:

And for my last card I used the sketch from Critter Sketch challenge #134.  Here's the sketch:

and finally card #3:

It was great getting to use these little trees I had in my stash as well as the variety of paper scraps.  I hope you have enjoyed my little tribute to the Christmas tree.

MORE CLEAN AND SIMPLE LINES

I found another clean and simple card sketch over at Critter Sketch Challenge blog to work on before bed.  Here is the sketch:

and here is my card:

and now I'm off to bed.  Tomorrow is another day - just perfect for creating.  Sweet dreams!  Please do stop back and see what tomorrow will bring.