Purple Kitty

Stamps: Lucy from Motivet; sentiment is retired from SU!; inside sentiment from Inky Antics
Paper: SU! Cottage Wall
Other: Prima Hydrangeas; Basic Grey Brads; spacer beads; Kaiser Plum pearls; Jolee's crystal flower charm; Martha Stewart Loopy Border punch; Nestabilities;
Card Measures 5.5" Sq






Hello! Happy Monday, my friends! I hope that you all had a delightful weekend. Maybe some Hanukkah or Christmas Activities? Pat and my mom took the girls to a Christmas party in my hometown. I stayed home with Declan. As he does not like that kind of stuff. He gets overwhelmed when there are a lot of people and noise and such . I had taken the girls to breakfast with Santa last weekend at Orla's school. (the pic is of the girls last weekend) Maeve isn't one bit afraid of Santa. She sat right up there and told him exactly what she wanted. A camera! It's the only thing she has been asking for so I think Santa will bring it. ;) (a kid's camera!!)
Of course I have been trying to get the elusive Zhu Zhu Pets for the girls too. Toys R Us is taunting me with daily emails saying that they have them in for the first 100 customers "starting at 3 pm" . Too bad I didn't get the email until 3:02! I live out in the country...I have drive over a half hour to get to TRU. They are really ticking me off by not letting me buy my zhu zhu pets online! I like to shop online. And I am sorry, but I am just not paying the silly prices on Ebay for one. With Pat not working, even if I wanted to pay those prices I couldn't. OK...that is my whining for today! LOL!

I made today's card for Motivet's Friday challenge. This week the challenge was to make a monochromatic card. (There could more colors in the main image...after all a purple kitten might be a little bit freaky!) This little kitty's name is Lucy. She is one of Motivet's most recent releases. Isn't she adorable hugging her little fish?! heeheehee! If you participate in the weekly challenge you have a chance to win 3 or 5 stamps of your choice! You can also win stamps weekly by just commenting on the blog. Cool Beans, huh!?! I love FREE! :)

Well, that's all I got for today. Thanks for stopping by.

Have a Majestic Monday!

Bailey's Irish Cream Bars

Hello! Here's a merry recipe for you!

I like to bake anytime of the year but especially Christmas. I made these for the neighborhood Christmas Cookie exchange a few years ago. They were a big hit.

However, when making them in these quantities this recipe gets expensive! You go through those bottles of Bailey's pretty quickly!! A little in the mixing bowl and a little for me! LOL! ;) just kidding!

Ingredients:
***For Cake:***
1 package yellow cake mix
3 eggs
2/3 cup Bailey's Irish Cream
1/3 cup oil
***For Swirl:***
1 can cream cheese vanilla frosting
1 package white chocolate chips (12 oz)
1/4 cup Bailey's Irish Cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare a jelly roll pan (about 15 x 10 x1 ). Mix cake mix with eggs, Irish Cream and oil. Set aside 1/2 cup of prepared cake batter for swirl. Pour cake batter into prepared pan. In a small bowl, blend all swirl ingredients. Drop large spoonfuls of this mixture over the cake batter. Swirl with a fork to make a marble effect. Bake 25 - 30 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.

I have also made a Bailey's Irish Cream cake...but can't find the recipe at the moment! There are lots of Irish Cream baking recipes on the internet...and they all sound yummy!

Enjoy!

♫ ♪ ♫ It's Begining to Look a Lot Like Christmas ♪ ♫ ♪

Stamps: Santa's little Helper from Magnolia-licious
Paper: from the Magnolia So Jolly Collection
Other: 5/8" organdy ribbon; unknown teeny tiny buttons; Craft Boa; Polar White Flower Soft

Hello! Thanks for stopping by today!!
I hope that you don't mind that I decorated for the holidays around here! I usually try to keep the ol' blog fairly simple and uncluttered...but it just doesn't seem right not decorating it up for Christmas! :)

I have 2 cards to share with you today. Above is my card for this month's Magnolia-licious DT December DT sketch. Although, we have started to stray away from strictly sketches! This months hostess with the mostess is the oh so unbelievably talented Cheryl! Cheryl has challenge us to make a card in a shape other than squares or rectangles. You can read all the deets at the Magnolia-licious Highlites Blog about how you can participate.
Shaped cards are always a challenge for me. I never know what to do. As I mentioned last week, my inspiration at any given moment usually comes from me wanting to use a specific product or image and working the rest of the card around that. This is no different. I cleaned up my craft room a little over the weekend and found a few things that I forgot I had. One was this white fluffy boa. I know I bought this several years ago for a purpose...but forget what that purpose was! LOL! Anyhoooo, I was determined to use this. Finally I settled on a mitten. The great thing is that a mitten is such an easy shape that I could even draw the template freehand. Hahaha...I always say that if I could draw I wouldn't need to stamp! I would just draw up my own images. Unfortunately even my stick people leave a lot to be desired. HAHAHA. So I chose this ADORABLE Tilda to perch herself upon my mitten. Have I mentioned how much I {HEART} this Christmas line from Magnolia?! Each image is cuter than the last!

I am going to move right along to my next card. Because as usual it is after 3 am when I am typing this post up! And I rescheduled yesterday's appointment to today! (I know! I said I wouldn't...but it was snowing so heavy!)


Stamps: Retired SU! Snowflakes
Paper: Sugar Coated White from Doodlebug; Navy; Brushed Silver
Other: Navy Organdy; Martha Stewart Snowflake punch; blue and clear rhinestones; Silver pigment ink; Iridescent Ice embossing powder from SU!
Card Measures 5.5" sq


Today's 3CTC was a little hard for me. Most of the stamps I use these days are "line art". Meaning that they need to be colored in. ANd I was having a difficult time finding one that would be suitable using only the colors White, Blue and Silver. What was I thinking when I came up with this challenge?! LOL! I must have seen a card that I thought was pretty elsewhere that used these colors. :)



I thought about a card that I had made several years ago. And decided to "CASE" myself. But to somewhat improve on the original card. Jeesh! I hope that improved on a card that I made 5 years ago! The thing is: I thought I totally rocked that card back then!! LOL! Didn't we all?! LOL! You can see my original HERE.


As I mentioned in the recipe above, I used silver embossing ink...but Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder. (um, yeah, Christmas is about the only time I ever do any embossing...I am just too lazy the rest of the year to pull out that heat gun and all those little powders!) Iridescent Ice EP is a clear EP with sparkle to it. But because I used the silver ink, it maintains a silver color. In the close up picture I am trying to show that sparkle.

I hope that you enjoyed these cards today. I have to go to bed!

Have a Joyful Thursday!

3 Clover Thursday Challenge #43

Welcome to
3 Clovers Thursday Challenge
#43!

Thanks for coming by today!
We hope that you enjoy this weeks challenge!

this week's challenge is:
Blue-White-Silver Holiday Card

To participate please upload your card to your blog or SCS and leave
a direct link to that post in the comments section of this post

Then we can all enjoy your creations!
When uploading to your blog or scs please link back to this post so that everyone can join in on the fun!
If you upload to SCS please use 3CTC43 in the keyword or title so that anyone looking can easily locate it.

The Lovely & Talented Challenge Team has cooked up some
LOVELY samples to get your creative juices flowing!

You can get to the blogs for each of the girls by clicking on their names. Don't forget to leave them a little {{love}} (comments) when your visiting!

Kerry:


Lorie:


Sue:


Ida:


Lisa:


Mary Jo:

Weren't those PULCHRITUDINOUS!?


What are you waiting for?! Go forth and CREATE!!!

Dear Santa, I can explain....

Stamps: Doraline-Sorry by Motivet; All sentiments were computer generated.
Paper: Bo Bunny (older-from my stash)
Other: Kaiser Red pearls; Martha Stewart branch punch; various trims and ribbons; Silver charm from Bunny Zoe's shop...maybe the green roses were from there too...not sure; Prima flowers; Nestabilities
Card Measures 6 inches square




Hello Friends! Thanks for stopping by today!
I hope that you are having a Wonderful Wednesday. We are expecting some snow today...I am typing this at 2 am Wednesday morning...so it has not yet started...but they already canceled school for Wednesday. It's not suppose to be a lot of snow...maybe 4-6 inches around my area. It's just that the timing will be when the kids (and adults!) would be riding to school. And it's suppose to accumulate at an inch-2 inches an hour. So it's just bad timing really. I don't work outside of my home, so I don't have to worry about the commute on most days. But today I have an appointment that I don't want to reschedule...so I guess I will be out driving in the mess. The good thing about my husband being home is that he will be here with the kids and I don't have to worry about rescheduling. :)

Today's card uses a Motivet Stamp that I purchased back in June. This is little Doraline...and she is SORRY! I bought her because when I came across the Motivet booth at the stamp convention I was overwhelmed with trying to make a desicion on which stamps to buy. ALL of them were so cute! And unfortunately, I was not aware that Motivet was there and came across them after I had already spent too much money. :( So I was trying to choose just one or maybe two stamps. When I am overwhelmed with trying to choose stamps I generally will choose what I consider to be versatile stamps. Stamps that I can use for multi-purposes. Whether it's a birthday, Mother's Day, Christmas....etc...This is one of those stamps. And this Doraline reminds me of my little Maeve: She's so cute that it hardly matters what she was just caught doing! LOL! Maeve will be 3 soon and has learned just the right way and timing to say "I sorry mommy". She really says it like she means it. With guilt, sadness, and innocence in her eyes. She just melts my heart. I believe that if Maeve were ever on Santa's naughty list she could change his mind in a heartbeat too. (PS- you can see my Summer version of this stamp HERE.)

So about a week and a half ago I was invited to become a member of the Motivet Design Team. It was a total "pinch me so I know it's not a dream" moment! Even as I type this, I feel a little dizzy! The thing that I thought was hilarious, was that Stephanie, (Motivet owner) asked me like I might say no...HA! Uuuuummm.... like I might have turned this FANTASTICAL opportunity down!!!!
She mentioned that every Friday they have a challenge on the Inspiration blog. This past Friday was a gorgeous sketch. I did not receive my new stamps until yesterday, but I thought that this Doraline would be perfect trying to explain her way off Santa's naughty list! So I created the sentiment for the outside and inside of the card on my computer. And I think she looks just as cute dressed up for Christmas as she did in her summer outfit. :)

There are lots of ways to win FREE STAMPS at the Motivet Inspiration blog (I love FREE stuff! heeheehee):
1) Comment! Every week one winner is chosen to win 5 stamps just for commenting...so you know what? the more you comment, the better your chances are for winning!
2) Participate in the challenge for the week because 2 winners are chosen out of the participants. (and right now there are only 14 participants in this week's challenge!!)
3) Right now Stephanie is giving one lucky stamper all 12 of the recent releases!


Ok....well it is nearly 3 AM now....and I am not even sure if I typed up complete thoughts on this post....and I am too tired at this point to proof-read. hahahaha! You know when I have lot's of incomplete thoughts and misspellings that I didn't proof-read. Meaning I was exhausted or in a hurry to post. hahahaha!

So off to bed I am!

Have a Warm and Toasty Wednesday!

Blog Candy Winner!!

Loved reading the responses on your favorite Christmas songs!!! So many wonderful songs to choose from. Thank you to everyone who shared!

The randomly selected winner is:

Mary Lou said...

Hi Kerry~~ Christmas--what fabulous time of the year!! My fave xmas song, I would have to say "Silver Bells" but I do like many others:-) Linked your candy on my sidebar.
Thanks and Blessings
Mary Lou

Congrats to Mary Lou! Mary Lou, please contact me with your mailing address.

Thanks to everyone who participated!


And speaking of Blog Candy...Motivet has a big give away going on! You can enter until December 15th for a chance to win their newest 12 stamps! And talk about CUTE!!!

Angles and Sheep

Stamps: #3010 Christmas Angel from Magnolia-Licious Other: 2" Wired Ribbon; Gold self adhesive pearls by unknown; Gold embossing powder; Inky Light Deluxe Starter Kit from Inky Antics; Copics: Hair: E99, Y23,11...Dress: E31,30,000....Wings: G85,82,20...burgundy trim/shoes: R39,37....Stars: Y28,26,23 and the gold Spica.



I am in love!
With this OH SO SWEET Christmas Angel Tilda! Another new stamp image from the So Jolly Collection available at Magnolia-licious. I hope that I have time to use all the stamps before Christmas!!! I think I will make time! They are SOOOOO ADORABLE!! Don't we say that about every collection!? LOL! But seriously, how sweet is this little Angel?!
I am also in love with these light blocks. I have seen them around the stamping world for several years, but never attempted one. Finally, I got the kit from Inky Antics. I have been waiting to get my new Magnolia Christmas stamps to make a light...and I am glad...because every once in awhile I make something that I am really pleased with. This is one of them. You know why? Because I think it has a WOW factor but is WAY easy to make. The Inky kit has everything except the stamps and ribbon in it! This made it SO EASY for my first light. Because I didn't have to go out and find everything on my own and guess if I were getting the right things. No, Inky Antics is not asking to promote these! LOL! I know I sound like I am a 2 am infomercial for Inky Light kits...but seriously, so easy! Sure, then once you got it down you can try to get the elements needed on your own. But I have spent the week trying to find glass blocks at a reasonable price or in this 4.5" size....also I can't find mini sets of light on WHITE cords. On the ones I am finding the cords are green...which I think would take away from this. The instructions on how to make the light are HERE. I also purchase an EZ Bow Maker from Michaels. Another handy dandy item that helped me to make this pretty bow in just a few minutes. I was pretty happy with that. I have to say that even Pat was impressed when I brought the finished project up. I got an authentic "Oh wow! That's NICE!" Then he starts man-handling it trying to see how it was put together...my glue wasn't even totally dry yet! LOL!


Talk about cute image overload! Looky at the new Digi Images that Pink Cat Studio is releasing today!! I must say that I am pretty darn lucky to be on some FANTASTIC Design Teams... All these cute images to work with!




I made the card below with the same sheep image. I just flipped it and resized it. That way I had a whole sheep family. I will be posting a card with that adorable piggy in the near future. I just haven't made it yet!


Well, it's 3:30 in the AM so I need to be off to bed. But before I go, I want to thank everyone for the all the prayers and good thoughts for my hubby to resume work soon. All prayers and and good jujus are appreciated. I am also glad that many of you enjoyed my wacky thought process of making a card! Heck, with I am surprised that you actually read all that!! LOL! Thanks for stopping by here each day your comments are always appreciated. (((hugs)))

Have a Tremendous Thursday!