Tagged again...5's this time!

I was tagged again by Gretchen over at ChiChiboulie. I was also tagged in another (non blogging) group I belong to so I am answering both tags here. Since most of my blog world friends have already had the 7 things about you tag I am using the other one to change it up and get to know a bit more about my blogging friends. The rules are basically the same but this one is in fives.

Here's how it works...
1. Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
2. Answer the five sets of five (these are easy)
3. Tag 5 people in the last section by leaving their names as well as links to their blog.
4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Here are the 5 sets of five...

Things you love...
1. Sleeping in
2. Having time to create
3. The smell after it rains
4. Babies
5. Happy Mail

Things you don't love...
1. Traffic
2. Bills
3. Rude people
4. Coffee
5. Mangos

Songs on your iPod/Playlist
1. Troublemaker - Wheezer
2. Livin' on a Prayer - Bon Jovi
3. Americal Girl- Carrie Underwood
4. Man in the Mirror - Michael Jackson
5. Bohemian Rhapsody- Queen

Favorite Foods
1. Chocolate
2. Chicken Enchiladas
3. Diet Coke
4. Shrimp
5. Guacamole

People you are tagging...
1.Ramsey
2. Carri D
3. Melanie
4. Jacquie
5. Danette

Have fun ladies!

Buttons and bows and blog candy...oh my!

Yesterday over on Bellaholics I announced the first Embellishment Challenge! I am so honored to be chosen as the first of the Queens to get your creative juices flowin'.

As an extra special treat I am adding something special to this one (but don't expect it every month). My blog reached 1000 hits this week so I am giving blog candy! Anyone who posts a comment with a link to what they did for my challenge will be eligible for the blog candy. Details below.

OK, now on to the challenge.

Bella Buttons and Bows Embellishment Challenge

Buttons remind me of my grandmother. She always had a jar of buttons she had carefully removed from clothing before it became a rag she used for cleaning. I knew her collection had been growing for many years becuase there were hundreds of them in that jar. I have fond memories of spending hours sorting grandma's buttons by colors, sizes and picking out my favorites. The vintage dress buttons were always my favorites. They were delicate and yet ornate and I could imagine the beautiful clothes they had once been a part of. I wonder what ever happened to grandma's button jar.

If you are like me you have a bag, jar or box of buttons that just sit there looking pretty. Once in a while you will use one or two on a card or a scrapbook page or just run your hand through the jar because you like how it feels.

My challenge this week is to make anything (doesn't have to be a card) using a stamping bella image, ribbon/bows and at least 5 buttons. Here is my sample, a great card that I used buttons to create a wreath around sockafellabella. It was hard to get a good scan with the buttons so the sockafellabella image is a bit blurry but you get the idea.

Ok, to participate in the blog candy you have until Sunday Oct. 12th at midnight to post a link to what you did for this challenge to the comments section of this post. The copy the link to my blog candy and you're done. I'll pick a random winner on Monday Oct. 13th.

The blog candy will include....drumroll please....

1 -Daisybella (a brand spankin new stamp)

2 - 8x8 paper packs from Deija Views

3 -packages of rhinestones in purple, pink and green

3- chalk ink cat's eyes in orchid, aloe vera, and chestnut roan

1- birds and swirls cuttlebug embossing folder

25 -various stamping bella images to play with

Have fun and good luck!

Peace on Earth

I made 10 of these cards to send to the troops. Gina K has a great idea to send blank cards to the troops that they can then send back to their friends and loved ones this holiday season. Check out her blog for more info on how you can send some too. She even has a great list of prizes she is giving away. The top prize is $250 to Gina K. Every card sent gives you a chance to win. Check it all out here.

Stamps- Stampendous

Cuttlebug embossing folder

Nestabilities scalloped oval

Silver embossing

Mark richards gemstones

Want something sweet???

Nothing is sweeter than blog candy so here are a few links to our friends who are offering candy.

1. Katie Cotton is giving away 100 pieces of blog candy for her 100th post.
2. Janet has 500 hits and is trying to get ot 1000.
3. Melanie has made it to 1000 hits.

Stop by their blogs to congratulate them on their blogging achievements and enter to win some sweet candy.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Anyone who makes their own Christmas cards knows you have to get an early start. Somehow it does seem strange to be working on Christmas when it's in the 8o's outside. I have been busy working on a few projects this weekend and have lots of cards in various stages but here is my first picture.

Meet Polly Packages


I love this stamp because there are just so many possibilities. For this one I paper pieced her coat and scarf with DP from a DCWV Christmas stack. I used liquid applique on her hat, the top of her bag and the bottom of her coat. I also love the candy cane stripe leggings. The Ho Ho Ho is done with the Stampendous Candy Cane Alphabet. This set sold out last year before I got mine so when we got them in at Archiver's again this year I snatched mine up right away. Again, so many possibilities. More Christmas cards to come!

HUGE Blog candy for a good cause.

Check out Cammie's blog for the most amazing chance to win blog candy valued at around $1000. She has gotten donations from so many amazing people and companies all in honor of National Alzheimer's Day. She asked everyone to make a card to send to someone with Alzheimers or to the people who care for Alzheimers patients. Here is my card.

This one is going to the facility down the street from my house. I don't personally know anyone there but I am sure they are doing great things and this will brighten someone's day.

Sneek Peek...

So my last few posts have been about a very special thing I am working on. Finally I have a little something to reveal (with Gretchen's permission). This drawing means so much to me I cannot even begin to put it all into words... but here goes. Gretchen wanted to help NieNie. I wanted to help too. I love Gretchen's work so it made sense for me to help her help...get it??? I won the auction and sent my donation to the Stephanie and Christain Nielson Fund and the forwarded Gretchen my receipt. She asked what I wanted and so I explained.

I want something special for my daughter. She turns 21 in October. I am so very proud of the young woman she has become. We are very close and she loves stamping and scrapbooking like I do. We both fell in love with Gretchen's fairies on Stamping Bella. I wanted something to celebrate that special bond between mother and daughter. I also wanted something that would in some small way honor Nie Nie because her view of motherhood has inspired so many and after all she is the reason for the design. I emailed Gretchen my ideas along with some pictures of Ashleigh and I and she got right to work. I knew I would love whatever she came up with becuase I so love her style...but I had no idea. Here is what she sent me originally.



I love her sketchy sketch, obviously an artist at work. I am not sure what I had in my mind. I have one of her images of Lottie and Gussie and I asked for something along those lines. When I opened the email and saw her interpretation of my ideas I cried. This was much better than anything I had ever imagined. She even hid "Nie Nie" in there...can you find it? She also included little hearts that say, "my mother", "my daughter", "my soul" in French. How perfect is that?? Now Gretchen asks for changes or additions. I only have a few, Ashleigh's hair needs to be curlier, she needs to be wearing a hoodie with her hand in the pocket (anyone who knows her will get that). Another idea, maybe hang the hearts from the branch of a tree...a family tree.


Again she went to work and here is her final draft....I am in awe.




Now she will hand paint this just for me. I cant wait to see it colored. We also talked about another idea...a way for this image to keep on giving...more details on that to come.