A real beauty!!

Happy Monday all & Happy day off to me!!!!! Last night I participated in my first PTI blog hop...wow I really saw some fantastic cards!!!!!! I was sooooo inspired!!!! I also had the opportunity to participate in a few sketches this weekend also! The one at Taylored expressions is still going on! it is her 1 year aviv. of the cupcake challenge & she has some prizes up for grabs....I think the total is 9 sketches to do! I may not get to them all but hey....got so many valentine cards to do anyway!!!
This is the sketch for this card.....

I love the way it turned out! It is sooo beautiful in person!! all the black paper is velvet! I am soooo hooked on that stuff!!! the ribbon is velvet as well. The Happy valentine saying is from inkadoodle. Well now it is back to the drawing board!! for a try at sketch #3!! thank you soooo much for today's visit!!! ~Gwen~

PTI BLOG HOP

OK this is my first PTI Blog hop!!! So hope I am doing everything correctly :)

This is my Birthday card! The PTI products that I used are the beautiful new Raspberry paper, Borders & corners (circles) and Mixed messages....which is my usual go to for phrases! Just for the fun of it I also made this little matching flower holder....the tiny little vase fits perfectly inside!!

For this little flower holder I used the raspberry DP paper to cover little drink coasters I got at a local restaurant. Just a little something to go along with the card....everyone loves flowers!!! Just the perfect size for my desk at work!!! here they are together!!!That's it for my Blog hop post!! now I am off to the most exciting part...to see what all the other crafters have done!!!



Thanks for visiting!!!

~Gwen~

another sketch

Hey 2 cards in one day wow!!! this one I just had to try! I made it a valentine as I have several to do. The sketch is here At My Creative Corner. A new one to me :)

The beautiful paper is from a paper pack by... Me & my Big Ideas (gorgeous papers)... you can't really tell my the photo but it is all shimmery & shiny. The black background hearts are of velvet paper & the silver is metallic paper. I tried to make it a little more manly & not put the bow on it....just could not do it!!!

Well I do need to go check out what the other gals did with the sketch!! (Love that part) always such wonderful eye candy!!

Thanks for the visit!!!!

~Gwen~

Cupcake challenge

Greetings from Arizona!!! today I am participating in Taylor's Cupcake challenge This is my take on the sketch. I realize the colors are a little spring looking....but hey it is a gorgeous 68 degrees here today & I just couldn't help myself! :)

Stash I used today: all paper is from Stampin up, as well as the little cupcakes, Nesties oval & scalloped oval, nesties rectangle & scalloped rectangle, Oval Just rite stamp,& flower punches. you can not see in the photo but all the little cupcakes have white glitter frosting.

Now if you are up for a challenge and a chance at some fabulous prizes just head on over to http://tayloredexpressions.blogspot.com/2009/01/celebrating-year-of-cupcake-challenges.html and check it all out!!!

Thanks for today's visit!!! soooo many fun challenges & sketches today...so gotta go play!!!! :) ~Gwen~

CPS Sketch

It has been a very long time since I have had the time to participate in a sketch. Over at CPS they are letting us choose any of the previous sketches....so as you can see I did choose a very simple one! I believe it is #38. The paper is from PTI...I just added some black dots to the pink & white DP. I also added pink & black dots to the Just rite stamp border. Really simple!!!

That's it for today! As always....thanks for the visit!!!

~Gwen~

Love note

Today is Wednesday & we have a new president!!!! I enjoyed watching some of the inaugural events. Gotta love that T-VO

This is another Valentine card I did over the weekend...all papers are from PTI the hearts are of course spellbinders. I just used my corner heart punch to punch out the center with a decorative edge. The ribbon is from my stash.

Hope you are all having a good week!! wish I were on vacation as there are soooo many fun , fantastic sketches, contests & blog candy out there, I wish I had the time to participate in at least a few of them....but I have to go to work! (I am thankful I have a job) Just wish I had time to both full time!!!

Thank you for your visit today & to those of you that always leave the sweetest comments, I appreciate you more then you know!

~Gwen~

Release Day!!!!

It is release day at Clear Artistic stamps & you are going to want to be there!!!! Hint Hint....(games & free stuff) The party starts at 8:pm central here Also you should visit the
cottage studio...which you will find all the other designer blogs....there will be hints here & there for some of the contests. The whole thing revolves around a make believe wedding....the whole story is in the cottage.


This is the dress I will be wearing to the wedding... You just might
want to remember that!! :)
Well I better get to work!!!! gotta make money to buy more crafty stuff!!
see you tonight!!
~Gwen~

A valentine start!

Well I have finally started making valentine cards! This one I got to use my latest PTI stamp set purchase! I must admit I had a heck of a time getting all those xoxoxoxoxoxo's in a straight line!!! first just to get the stamp on the block straight took forever & then onto the paper half ways straight. Uff Daa!!! I also used all SU paper & 2 MS & 1 SU punch. I am happy with the way it turned out!! I love pink & brown but think it actually looks better in person as the photo always seems to wash the pink out!

That sure was some football game yesterday!!!! There was a lot of yelling going on here & you could hear it out side as well!!! (we had the windows open) The Arizona Cardinals have always been sort of a joke....even when you go to the home games always more fans for the other teams!!! So needless to say everything down here is football mania!!!!!

Well that is it for this beautiful Monday!!! hope you all have a fantastic week!!!! see you soon!!!

~Gwen~

Cutie kitty thank you

Here is another thank you card I made recently...always so many to do after Christmas! For this card nearly everything I used had not been used until that card making day!! so woot woot for me!!!! for using up some more of my stash!!!! I love this paper pack from MM & the cutie little kitty stamp is one of many that I got at Costco a while back by inkadoodle. Thanks to my (enabler) BBGF Marge, who always lets me know where all the good deals are!!! ;)

It is another gorgeous day here in Arizona! about 78 degrees for the Football game today!!!!

We are Minnesota Vikings fans at heart,(LOSERS) but for today we have jumped on the Arizona Cardinals band wagon!!! You would not believe all the hype & hoopla surrounding the game against the Eagles today!!! You would think today WAS the super bowl!!!

Well that's all for today!!!! Make it a good one!!! I will be around to visit soon!!!!

~Gwen~

Thanks again!!

Greetings from sunny Arizona!!! Beautiful day today!!! sunny & about 70! and I have spring fever :) This is another of the many thank you cards I made last weekend. Again I used several "necessities" that had not been used before!!
I used 2 never used before punches from Martha Stewart...the butterfly's & the dot border. I really had fun FINALLY using the double sided stickers I got last fall at the CKC. These are so awesome!!! If you have never used them before...they are super duper sticky on both sides & then you can add glitter (as I did) or flock or beads or whatever you want stuck to your card. these are from doodlebug designs. All papers are from SU.
well it is back to the drawing board! I have a few cards I am trying to finish...Hope at least some of you are enjoying nice weather!!
Have a good week!!!!
~Gwen~

Another Thank you!

Happy Sunday all!! here is another of the many thank yous I have recently made. As I said in my last post...I am trying to use some of the "stuff" I just had to have & not had a chance to use....for this card, The "thanks for everything" in the center there I have had for about a year I guess, it is from a set that I purchased (I think from CTMH) Also used my giga flower punch that I have not used in awhile. I AM certainly getting my moneys worth form the swis dots embossing folder though!!!!! seems I use that on about every other card :) I know it is simple but hey when you have to make so many...simple is best!!!

Thanks for the visit today!!!

~Gwen~~

Thank you much

I have been making all kinds of thank you cards! This is one of many I will be posting over the next couple of weeks. One thing I promised myself was that I would use all the stuff that I have purchased & not had an opportunity to use. I have a feeling we ALL have some of that stuff ;)
The "never/slightly used" things I used with this card are: Guidelines stamp set from PTI, & my giga & jumbo flower punches from Marvy. The paper is from SU & the ribbon & little flower bling are from Michaels. That is it for today...I am hoping to get around to do a bit of blog hopping!!! It h as been a very long time :(
Thanks for todays visit!!!
~Gwen~

Save the date

Greetings all!!! It is sneak peak time again at Clear Artistic Stamps!! Belinda has decided to give us all a bit of fun with this one...don't know about you, but I could use a bit of fun! some warming laughter & silliness!!! Tee hee hee....revolving around this release...is a wedding! so save the date!

I received this invitation.....
I have also been invited to be a bridesmaid!! ;) I said OK...as long as I didn't have to wear a "bunny"outfit! :O Hey if anyone has any ideas on fun food or anything to do with the wedding...feel free to leave your ideas in the comment section!!! You would be surprised what silly things your mind can come up with!...Like...of course...carrot cake, doing the bunny hop at the dance...wonder what the vows should be???? or who should marry them???? I thought Alvin & the chipmunks would be a good choice for a band to play at the wedding dance! Silly, Silly!!!! oh well...have a bit of fun with it, if you like!

thanks for today's visit! be back with you all soon!!!

~Gwen~