Birthday Bike

I am very late for my brother's birthday!  However, I'm really pleased with how this card turned out.  I used the inspiration challenge from Heart 2 Heart and sketch #230 from Mojo Monday.

The stamps are all CTMH.  I used Pair-A-Phrase for the bike and It's Your Day for the sentiments.  The pennants were cut using CTMH Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge on papers from the Stella package.  The bike was colored with Copic markers E33, E35, E47, W5, W7 and BG72.  I used ink pads in CTMH Olive and Momento Rich Cocoa. In order to make sure the "happy" really stood out, I stamped with Olive ink on Olive paper and then highlighted the letters with a white gel pen.  White waxy flaxy tied the pennants together (although I cheated and only tied two small knots on the end ones. No use wasting it when it wasn't going to show!)

I love how the distressed edges of the Lagoon paper lets the white core show through and provides a border between it and the Kraft background.

Okay...need to get to work on my novel.  I've been working on the first fifteen pages for my contest submission and have forgotten what's going with my characters right now.  Though I'm pretty sure they are in trouble and need rescuing. :)

Speaking of novels, I read one I'd like to recommend.  It's called "Protection for Hire" by Camy Tang.  She combines a suspenseful plot with lots of humor.  At more than one point, I snorted with laughter.  I've read a couple of her other books, but I have to say this is the one where she comes into her own.

Until next time,
Becca

Long Time, No See

Helloooooo.  Did you miss me?

I was in Arizona visiting my son for almost a week, had lots of meetings and activities as soon as I returned home (not the least of which was getting the first 15 pages of my novel submitted for a major competition), and then got to go on another marriage retreat paid for by the US Army.

I have a boat-load of laundry to do, but I'm down in my craft area listening to Pandora and playing with some new stamps.  A girl has to have her priorities, you know!  I put this card together using the OWH Sketch Challenge #110.

This card uses a mix of Stampin' Up! stamps (Artistic Etchings) and CTMH stamps (Pemberly Workshop on the Go).  Paris always makes me think of my daughter's dream of painting there someday.  Here's hopin', darling girl.

Okay...better get the washing machine going.  I'll keep you posted on how my writing entry does in the contest.

Until next time,

Becca

Valentine's Day Roses

No challenges with this one, just had fun coloring with colored pencils using some old CTMH stamps called Forever Roses and what I think is Stampin' Up! background paper.

The buttons are actually pink, but they faded into the B&T paper, so I used a dark brown Copic, bounced it onto the surface (because trying to do it smooth was NOT working), and made it look sortof woodgrainy.  The large rose on top was mounted on two pieces of foam tape, the leaves on each side of it on one piece of foam tape, and the smaller rose and leaf under it were glued directly to the background piece of white cardstock.

Since this is a little too girly for my husband, I'm not sure who is going to get it.  I'll probably stick it in my stash and send it off to Operation Write Home.  Now I need to get the one for the hubby done.  I found out today (pretty much by accident) that he is taking me to a Five Star restaurant tomorrow night.  Woot!!

Until next time,
Becca

Paris Birthday Wishes

Time for me to get back into birthday mode with the help of Mojo Monday #227 and OWH's Hot Tropics challenges.

Lots of different things happening on this.  The Eiffel Tower is from Artistic Etchings by Stampin' Up!, the sentiment is a combination of CTMH stamps.  The scroll work and "Have A" are from Wicked, and the "Happy Birthday" is from the Art Philosophy coordinating stamps.  Also from Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge are the white and Hollyhock label and the flower border cut-out.

 

The made the polka dots on the button using a Copic marker.  Love how I can color on so many different things with Copics.  The crochet flower is discontinued from CTMH as is the paper.  The fan flower was done by cutting strips of paper with scallop edge scissors, scoring them at 1/4 inch, gathering them together and sponging the edges with Hollyhock ink.

I wish the colors showed well.  The green looks a little funky.  Sorry about that.

Until next time,
Becca

What a Week!

Short post tonight, but I thought I would tell you a little bit about why I have been MIA.

I am on the board of our local American Christian Fiction Writer's chapter, and we host a one-day seminar every year.  This year, ten days before our conference, we lost both our speaker and our facility in the same day.  Yeah...that was fun.  Luckily, Colorado Springs is home to several amazing authors, agents, and publishers.  We were able to get Jeff Gerke, a man who writes best-selling books about how to write, come speak about his latest book "The First 50 Pages."

To save on expenses, each of us involved in planning the conference made different food items.  Then there was the obligatory last minute scramble which really lasts about three days.

So...I have had six hours of sleep in the last three days and this is what my kitchen looks like:

Now...if THAT doesn't make you feel better about the shape of your kitchen, I don't know what will.  Glad to bring a little comfort and joy to your heart!

Until next time,

Becca