Retirement Card Number One*

Today, my youngest daughter turns 14 years old! And what does she want for her birthday?  A job! LOL  Yep.. she wants to get a job and start earning money. There are only a few places that will hire a 14 year old -- Chick-fil-a, Kroger and Publix I believe. We will see what happens. Between that and Lacrosse and school... I just don't know!

One of my very favorite people at work just Retired last week. I was asked to help get everything together for a party for him. I created two cards and I'm going to show you the first one I made today. His name is Sherman and he retired from being a security guard here. He was absolutely wonderful! I adored him and I will miss him very much.

I think having to make these two cards is what finally got me out of my funk and back to crafting. This card is the one that I created from my husband and I.








The image is from Just Ink Lined -- Albert. For this card I used Copic Markers to color the image. I used a bit of Diamond Glaze on the windshield and lights. I layered the image a bit as well. I created the sentiment on the front and added some stitching around the squares. Those squares are embossed with gears. Then I added the sentiment to the inside as well.

Copic Markers Used:

• Skin: E000, E00, E01, E11
• Pants: YG61, YG63, YG67
• Black: C3, C5, C7, C9
• Silver: C00, C1, C3, C5
• Shirt: Y02, Y06, Y08
• Hat and Slippers: Y02, Y06, Y08; YG61, YG63, YG67
• Horn: Y00, Y11, Y15, YR24
• Floor: E34, E35, E37

Challenges:

• HIMCR #208: Lots of Layers (2/3) @ Hiding In My Craft Room.
• Challenge #271: Anything Goes (3/3) @ Craft Your Passion Challenges.
• Anything Goes (3/3) @ Crafty Sentiments Designs Challenge Blog.
• Build It Up (no flat) (2/5) @ Papertake Weekly Challenges.
• Challenge #136: Anything Goes (3/5) @ AUD Sentiments Challenge Blog.
• Challenge #43: Anything Goes (3) @ Inspiration Destination.
• Anything Goes (3) @ Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Wednesday Challenge.
• Challenge #193: Anything Goes (3/5) @ Word Art Wednesday.
• Challenge #2: Anything Goes (3/3) @ Crafting With Friends.
• Challenge #184: A Stitch In Time (2) @ D R S Designs Rubber Stamps*
• July: Anything Goes (3/3) @ Your Scrapbook Place*
• July: Use A Digi or Stamp (3/3) @ Crafts Galore Encore Challenge Blog.
• July: Patterned Paper (3) @ Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge.
• DSC #140: Anything Goes (3) @ Digitally 'Sweet' Challenges.
• July Challenge #22: Anything Goes (3) @ Not Just Cards Challenge Blog.
• July: Anything Goes (3/3) @ Sisters of Craft.
• Challenge #29: Anything Goes (3) @CCC Digi Creations*
• July: Patterns (1/1) @ Stamp and Create.
• Challenge #294: Use Four Of Something (4 Squares) (1/2) @ Crafty Creations Challenges.
• Challenge #44: Anything Goes (3) @ Creative Craft Cottage.

Turkeys, Pies and Cocoa - A Plethera of Cards

I LOVE Fall!!! Especially when it is like this year has been. I have enjoyed the awesome weather and the change it colors has been extraordinary this year. I love the cool air and being able to open up the doors and windows!! My favorite time of year!

I hope you all have had a wonderful weekend!! Kevin is still nursing a bad ankle.. its still swollen and painful. I'm hoping he can get back into the doctor today. We need to get him all fixed up. It is only about  three weeks until he heads down to Sydney to the Consulate!! Wow!! Putting that in writing just .. wow!! We are almost there!! I'm so excited!!!

What else... I took a couple of days off work last week. I worked on these cards.. and did some volunteer work for church. I took a HUGE load of clothes to a consignment store for them. The consignment store uses the money it makes to fund the home for girls that have been found in the sex trafficking industry. I had no idea that Atlanta had such a huge sex trafficking problem. And these are just girls.. young teenage girls that are getting taken and forced into this. It is so sad. Good stories come out of WellSpring though. Stories of girls reunited with families and off the street and making something of themselves.

We adopted a family for Christmas at church today. My mother and my sister are going to help. It is one little boy. He is 12 years old and we will hopefully be able to give him a nice Christmas. I also adopted three larger families for work. Each additional family has three kids each. We are a large group, so we should be able to give these kids a nice Christmas. I'm very excited.. and I'm excited that my Director's agreed to do this. 

Let's see... I've been working on some cards for my DT's, but there were a few that didn't work out or I did a different card. So, here are those three LOL

This is my Grateful card.. I was going to use it for the upcoming MelJen's Challenge.. Orange and Brown. It didn't work out though.. I added a lot more different colors LOL So I did a different card for that. I used MelJen's Pumpkin Pie Slice. I also used Walnut Stain Distress Ink, Adirondack Color Wash - Butterscotch, Tattered Angel Glimmer Mists - Tattered Leather, Cranberry Zing, Gold, Bronze, Stickles Orange Peel and Yellow and Frosted Lace .. I need a new Orange Peel.. I don't know what the heck is wrong with that one... but it is frustrating and won't come out right LOL, Bo Bunny brads and gems and Scribbles 3D Paint - Christmas Green and Black, Spellbinders Rectangles. The papers are all Bo Bunny Apple Cider and Bazzill Cardstock.
Copic:
E41, E11, E13, E21
YR01, YR14, YR18
E21, E27, E29
R39, R59, R89
B21, B24, B28, B29
Y32, Y35, Y38

Challenge:

• Challenge #90: Sketch @ Die Cuttin Divas
• Challenge #149 @ Stampin' Royalty
• TSG180: Dress Up Your Coloring @ There She Goes Clear Stamps
• Challenge #53: Give Thanks @ Word Art Wednesday
• Inspired By ... #49: Photo Inspiration @ Inspired By
• #158: Anything Goes @ Crafty Catz Challenge
• Ch #45: Food & Beverage @ Pause Dream Enjoy
• Anything goes @ One Stop Craft
• Anything Goes @ Sweet Stampin' 
• #46: Let's Be Thankful @ Pile It On! 
• Challenge 45: Anything Goes @ Dream Valley 
• Copic Yellow (Y) and Yellow Reds (YR) Families @ Mad For Markers
• PWC231: Thank You Cards @ Paper Pretties
• PTT #93: Thank You @ Party Time Tuesday's
• YNSC #23: Thank You @ Your Next Stamp 

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For my second card I used Meljen's Cinnamon Harvest Mug. The papers are Reminisce and Imaginisce and Bazzill Cardstock. I used one of my EK edge punches, cheesecloth and the "Feels Like Fall" is a die cut sticker from Reminisce. I used a very small amount of orange peel stickles and two green pearls from Bo Bunny.
Copic:
Cinnamon Sticks - E13. E15, E17
Cocoa - E71, E74
Cup - E30, E31, E35
Leaves - E25, E17, E43, E44, YR15, YR16, YR18
Acorn - E77, E79, E35, E39

Challenges:

• Sketch 25 @ Seems A Little Sketchy
• PPMC64: Use 2 Or More Circles @ Paper Pretties
• Challenge #57: Fall @ The Stamping Boutique
• #123: Autumn Leaves @ Tuesday Throwdown 
• Fabulous Fall Colors @ Pixie Dust Studio 
• Challenge 75: Pearls and Flowers @ Fussy And Fancy 
• Challenge 23: Anything Goes @ Cards For Men 
• Word: Spring/Summer/Winter/Fall @ Bird Is The Word 
• Show Us Those Fall Colors @ Dis Digi Designs 

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I LOVE these little turkeys!!! They are from Just Ink Lined. I colored them with my Prismacolor Pencils. I popped pieces of them. I used three brads from Bo Bunny and two gems from Bo Bunny. I stitched around the green cardstock. Lots of layers.. I love that! And the papers are all Bo Bunny papers and Bazzill Cardstock. Happy Thanksgiving.. I can't remember which stamp I used for that. The ink was Walnut Stain Distress Ink. "Eat More Ham" was handwritten with a ZIG Memory pen and under that is Pen Touch White Opaque.

Challenges:

• Mojo Monday 266 @ {MOJO} Monday
• Challenge 53: Give Thanks @ Cheery Lynn Designs
• Challenge #13: Thanksgiving @ Eureka Stamps
• Challenge #61: Thanks @ The Paper Makeup Stamps
• Challenge 101: Lots of Layers @ Penny's Paper-Crafty
• Thanksgiving or Thank You @ The Poodles Parlour
• Fun Friday: Happy Thanksgiving @ Little Scrap Pieces
• Challenge #13: Hey Turkeys Strut Your Stuff @ QKR Stampede
• SNSDC79: Thanksgiving @ Sweet 'n Sassy
• November Theme: Things With Tails @ Catch The Bug
• Challenge #128: Thanks/Thanksgiving @ Sentimental Sundays
• Challenge #41: Birds @ Ruby's Rainbow
• Autumn Fun @ By LORi Designs Challenges

Thanks Pup {Card}

Happy Saturday everyone!! I hope you all have had a great week. It has been a long week for me and I haven't gotten any crafting done at all. I finally sat down tonight and got something done. Ya me!! LOL The positive thing about this past week was that I really got a LOT done at work and have managed to get ever so much closer to being caught up. A little bit to go, but I can see an end and that is some major progress!! It is amazing what someone that can help you out does to your work load!!

Immigration... We couldn't find my marriage certificate, so I had to send away for that. I sent the request overnight with a return overnight back to me. It is on its way to Kevin now and hopefully he will have it this week. The attorney did say that we can mail it without it, so I'm thinking we will get it out in the mail on Kevin's Tuesday... which is our Monday evening. I just want it to get there so we can get this last portion over with and get him home.  So, that is where we are there :)

This morning after Kevin went to bed, I went and laid back down.. I slept until almost noon!!! GEEZ!!! What the heck!! LOL I guess I was tired. And then Taylor was down from the college and stayed until after 4 pm. I think I was sort of pushing her out at that point. I was ready to sit down and start making something LOL My whole day was lost! So here is what I finally was able to come up with.

The image is Scruff and Bone from Just Ink Lined. Oh boy.. I could go crazy in their shop... I love so many of their images. I couldn't be happier when I found it!! LOVE that place!!! I've had the image done for a while... I did a bunch of images and have been trying to get them into cards LOL What I used:
Copic: C1, C3, C5, C7, E40, E41, E43, E33, E35, B0000, B02, R20, R21, R22
I used Diamond Glaze on the nose and slobber. I popped part of his face so he looked like he was holding the bone in his mouth and the slobber. Papers are all scraps. The pattered papers are from Echo Park. I used some Splatter Ribbon/Mesh and a brown ribbon that I had in my stash. The "Thanks Ever So Much" stamp is from Paper Smooches, Pretty Phrases. This was the first time I used my bow maker from 3 Girl Jam too! It was a little bow.. but wow.. I love it!! So much easier than me trying to do it with my flintstone fingers LOL

Challenges:

• Sketch #56 @ {Freshly Made} Sketches
• Stamp Something @ Marianne's Design Divas
• A Thank You or Thanksgiving Card or Project @ Totally Stampalicious
• Challenge 77: Animals @ Anything Goes Challenge