Less Is More....Having a Go

I haven't had a go at the Less Is More Challenges since my dh passed in January.
It was a bit of a ritual for me. He'd know exactly why I wasn't paying him much attention early on a Saturday morning and would wait a bit more patiently than he ordinarily would. This is because he had been the only witness to my utter glee when I was showcased. He knew exactly how much it meant to me. He watched me grow from my inept first submission attempts to finally earning a compliment here and there. He truly was happy for me.

So here we go, I caught up with Mandi and Chrissie at 12 AM, USA time in Arizona, just after I'd posted about Simply Create Too, where I am on the design team. I decided not to wait until morning...how my life has changed.

I love this trio of southwestern clay pots from Stampmania. They specialize in images of the Southwestern and can be difficult to find. However during my adventure to a Stamp Convention, I found them and treated myself. Afterall, I am a Southwesterner some 15 years and I do love many aspects of desert living. To continue, the LIM Divas gave us a sketch which can be found here with all the deets. I have colored the pots with copics mainly and a Letraset or two....first time really playing with these...me likely. The sentiment stamped in Memento cocoa brown is from Our Daily Bread. I agonized a bit about the sentiment. I wanted the font to be perfect more than anything and then too, to be only one short line.  My photo skills haven't improved much. And finally, white is, IMO, so tough to get right. Alas, I love a white card base. Well, I'm not tickled pink, but it's been a while, so I'm happy.

Hugs & Blessings,
Erica

Back and Ready To Play

Hi Stamping friends. I'm back from California and in my adopted home state of Arizona. I love it here in the desert. CA was too rainy for me at this time of year, although I was assured that it was an anomoly (sp) and that they needed it. I had a fab time with family, but missed my craftroom lots. I tried to make it up by being a bit of a shopolic on-line, but then I couldn't wait to get home to use what I'd bought...many items which were forgetten until I laid my crafty hands on them. At Simply Create Too, we're having our 12th challenge, It's About Time. I submitted a card...on-time for a change, and already there is a fab submission linked up. Go and check out the team's work and add yours too.

I created a 5x5 card base using SU's Night of Navy. My background is from Impression Obsession and is called Newsprint. This is a huge background stamp that easily covers larger cards. It's made of high quality rubber and is cling backed. I will be getting more of these I'm sure. I stamped all but the clock in Memento tuxedo black. My "note paper" image is from Stampendous Perfectly Clear Stamp Line. The clock is from a set by Kelly Panacci and Sandylion...never saw anything else from this line except the clock set. Then the envie in the corner is from TPC Studio and I used SU old olive as well as SU Tangerine Tango. The clock is stamped in SU white craft ink and embossed with white embossing powder. A little embellie to hold the hands together that is from my stash. A very mixed up card, huh? I often find myself doing this...makes for quite the cluttered desk. Oh, and that's my awful hand-writing on the note itself. And, I really do have to make those cards.

Oh, and please have a bit of patience with me. Blogger has re-vamped its posting methods, and posting has never been my forte, so I hope I get accustomed to it real soon.

Hugs & Blessings
Erica

Simply Create Too Challenge No. Think Spring

 Hi Stampers...I made it to CA in my new car on $65 worth of gas. Gas is now $4.85 here. Going back to AZ won't be as cheap I'm afraid. I drove for an hour in a pretty nasty rainstorm, but all in all it was a great trip for my first time alone (except for my little mutt who was my faithful traveling companion).

If you guessed IPad Next Generation as my big surprise, you were right! So much fun to use...that is when I get a chance in between caring for my 4 yr. old grand-daughter.

Before I left, I made a card for the Simply Create Too challenge, It's Spring. I wanted to use bright spring colors and my butterfly dies from Cheery Lynn Designs. So I used an A2 white card base and placed strips of textured cs across. Then added the diecut butterlies cut from the same cs. The work is cut using a Cuttlebug diecut alphabet called Olivia and the "i" has a bit of bling.

So until mid-April posts will be few and far between while I enjoy my CA family. 

Be well.
Blessings,
Erica

A Broken Cuttlebug

 Hello stampers. I've been out of commission big time! My faithful 6 yr. old...I got the first one in my local Michaels, Cuttlebug broke. First, a month ago, it cracked and I taped it up and used it very carefully with decent results. But  2 weeks ago, I tried to use it with a Cheery Lyn Designs die and C R A C K...it was done for as the right side popped out and flew across the floor scaring my little chi-poodle mix nearly to death.

So, I thought I'd share a pic with you and let you know that I use this tool like EVERYDAY! Hence, no cards in quite some time.

The good news is that today, a dear stamping friend sold me her seldom gently used Cuttlebug. Now here's more news. I would be back to stamping first thing tomorrow, except that I'm taking a month-long hiatus from stamping. Yes, I'm leaving my stamping room. My pressure is up just thinking about it, but my eldest dd needs me to do some babysitting until she gets someone on a regular basis. They are in CA and I'm gonna drive out there Saturday morning all by myself...first  alone road trip ever. I am sooo looking forward to driving in my brand new Twilight...yes, the color really is called that, Honda CRV. I'm taking along my shared (with grandson) pooch Hoshi for company. She is the better of the three animals we have, when it comes to traveling.

To take the place of stamping should I get bored, which I rather doubt will happen in the company of a 4 yr. old, I'll be reading some of the numerous books I have on my Kindle, as well as reading blogs. Tomorrow, I will post a pic of a "special tech thingie" I spoiled myself with. Can you guess what it is? I'll give you a hint. Its stock went over $600 for just one today.

Hugs & Blessings,
Erica

Coloring an African American Mermaid

Good Morning Sunday Stampers...of whom I suspect there are are legions.
I struggled to make this card for my youngest dd who turns 39 today. She is still my baby, but I sure am one senior mom. She loves all things mermaid, but finding an appropriate...not kiddish...mermaid ain't easy. An artist stamper mermaid lover collector friend came to my rescue and stamped out all her 15 or so images for me. I decided to work with this one. I had several issues with her. I used only copics for skin, but couldn't decide where her hair stopped and started. I didn't put enough green in her scales and, well, I ain't copic certified, nor do I plan on spending the $$$ to do so.

Speaking of $$$, I dropped no small amount at the annual Mesa Rubber Stampede Co. show. I hadn't been to one in three years due to my dh's escalating need for care. So I decided to treat myself and drove my new car the 50 miles...parking in a far corner of the lot so as to avoid unintentional dings...at least for a few months I hope. Besides, the exercise is good for me and yesterday was a beautiful one here. (Praying for the victims of that horrid tornado.)

So here are a few observations...

This particular show was attended by the well over 50 crowd (with an occasional grandchild in tow
Hmm. I don't think younger women can scrape the $$ together these days with our state's economy
ranking as one of the worst.

There were not as many booths as in past years.
Hmmm. Again, a reflection of the economoy state-wide.

There were no bargains to speak of.
In the past, I have seen individual booths reel people with phenominal sales. Rarely did I encounter
more than 20% off, and that only after you bought 2, 3 or 4 of a particular item. There weren't even
freebie cloth shopping bags available...in other words, no hand-outs of any kind.

Neither Stampin' Up, or Close To My Heart, or A Muse, or Hero Arts, were there.
Hmm, this surprised me. The show consisted of "mom and pop" businesses making the show circuit.

There was nothing new and innovative being shown.
Hmm, with one exception...Imagience (sp?)has a machine that makes polymore stamps (priced at $157).
It wss demo'd well, but I noticed it didn't get much interest. I would have bought it as I love love
toys, but I still haven't really gotten into my Silhouette Cameo, so it was a no no.

Dies and embossing folders are in big time.
Well, this made me happy. Nestibilities are still rockin' the stage with so much stuff, it's impossible
to keep up. But there is real genuine competition in the form of Cherry Lyn, Marianne Designs and a few
other start-ups (to me anyway).

And, the latter is where I did the most damage to my pocketbook. I bought about $250 worth of varying dies. The one on this card is Cherry Lyn's Polynesian Sails oval. Kinda' goes with the mermaid if you think about the name.

So, that's it for me. Happy Sunday

Blessings,
Erica

You are My Sunshine

Good morning stampers. Happy Weekend. Over at Simply Create Too, where I'm back to showing my cards, I made this simple card to keep me cheered up. And, along with this cheerful card I have a new car to help me along the way. I took the plunge and purchased a brand new Honda CR-V. in a 'twilight" color. Yes, the color choice did have a bit to do with the famed movie series of that name...smile. 

So, for my card, I have a 5x5 Gina K Luxury heavy weight white base. Then some SU saffron for a mat and the dsp is DCWV Lemon Flower...bright, flowery and glittery....luv it. I used a Sizzix SU Daisies no. 2 die and cut it with some yellow from my stash. The center is a Bazzil brad given to me by a friend. I computer generated the sentiment using a fave font called Artsy. I don't often do this. Note to self....could save some $$$ this way, must pursue more.

So, I'm off with the dd to run some errands in the new wheels. Hope you have a great weekend.

Blessings, Erica

Thanks so Much