Wow...time just seems to fly when you are super busy!!  Sorry I haven't posted in forever....but like I said, life has been busy!!  I have multiple items to share with you today, which should last me until next week, right?  Because I most likely won't have time to post again until after the holidays, and we get back to our normal life (whatever that might be, right?). 

First up is my card for CPS 147 this week.  LOVE this sketch...love that it made me use this fabulous card cut from the Wild Cards cartridge for the Cricut. 
Card Instructions:  Cut the scalloped cardbase and the inside from blue cardstock and striped paper at 5 3/4" using the Cricut Expression and Wild Cards cartridge.  Layer them together.  Cut a 5" circle from patterned paper and adhere to the front.  Add a strip of paper and ribbon to the front.  Layer a bow, button and twine on top of a acrylic snowflake accent and adhere to the front.  Add the sentiment diecut to the front, and accent with adhesive pearls.

Up next is a love themed card that I did for the last TCP Tuesday challenge.  You can check it out here...there is a great sketch to play along with!  And I have had these cute TCP stamps for awhile now, and decided it was time to break them out again! 

Card Instructions: Round the corners and ink the edges of a block of heart paper using chestnut roan chalk ink.  Adhere to the middle of the card.  Round the right hand corners and ink the edges of a strip of love patterned paper.  Add red paper frill to the left side, and adhere to the card.  Punch an apron lace edge to striped paper and adhere to a strip of dotted paper.  Ink the edges and adhere to the front.  Cut a circle from cream cardstock and stamp the dog and sentiment to it using pigment ink.  Adhere to the front of the card, and accent with a square of heart paper.  Add ribbon and jewel flourishes to the bottom of the sentiment, and accent the circle with a brown jewel frame. 

I made these next few items for a gift exchange that I went to.  My great aunt Judy had a tea party at her house, and I was able to attend.  My grandma was also there, as was my aunt Shelly....and my aunt ended up with my gift!  That was pretty cool!  Anyways...I made a card set and ornament set for it, and here they are.

I'll get to my title later on.  First I have some cards to share with you!!  I have been starting most of my post's with Chrismas cards these days...so today I am going with a non-Christmas card!  No worries...there are two that are Christmas themed.  And considering it is rainbow themed.....so love it!!  It is based on this week's sketch at Get Sketchy, GS#18.  Such a fun sketch to play with...be sure to check it out!!

Card Instructions: Cover the front of a white cardbase with red dotted paper and round the bottom corners.  Round the bottom corners of a block of white cardstock and adhere to the middle.  Punch an apron lace border to a strip of yellow dotted paper and adhere to the front.  Cut three rings from glittered cardstock and arrange in the shape of a rainbow to the front.  Adhere a strip of white grosgrain ribbon to the top of the yellow paper and top with a thin strip of red dotted paper.  Stamp the cloud on white glittered cardstock and cut out.  Adhere with foam adhesive to the right side of the rainbow.  Add a bow to the right hand side of the cloud.  Stamp the sentiment below the ribbon using black pigment ink.  Add green paper frill and a thin strip of yellow dotted paper to the top of the card.  Accent the middle of the rainbow with jewels.  

Up next is my card based on Laura's Sketch 41 at the 2 Sketches 4 U blog.  I LOVE this sketch....I had an idea right away for it.  This is what I came up with!

Card Instructions: Fold kraft cardstock in half to make your cardbase and round the right hand corners.  Add a thin strip of striped paper to the left side.  Using the Cuttlebug and Winter folder, emboss a border right next to the striped paper.  Add the rub-on sentiment to the lower right corner of the card.  Stamp the ornaments in cranberry and evergreen pigment ink above the sentiment.  Accent the card with jewels and pearls.

And last, but definitely not least, is my card for CPS 146 this week!  Fun sketch this week...be sure to come and play along if you have the chance!!

Card Instructions:  Cover the front of a white cardbase with pink and striped patterned papers.  Add a block of pink cardstock and a scallop strip to the left hand side.  Add the pink circle trim to the top and bottom of the card.  Cover the top of the house with glitter, and adhere the tag to the front using ribbon and top with a bow.  Accent the bow with buttons, twine, and pins.  Add the stickers to the middle of the tag, and accent the left side with diecut peppermints and jewels.

Alright....so do you want to have a little bit of Heaven in your cup?  Well then, I suggest you find this and get some:
Oh my gosh....it is SO good.  I am almost out of it, so I am going to have to find it as well.  Josh's parents sent us this last Christmas, and I never made any until this year.  So, here is the trick.  Get the cocoa all stirred together when the water is piping hot.  But then let it sit for a few minutes.  This makes the candy cane pieces melt completely.  Then stir it again, and enjoy.  It is so yummy...and letting the candy cane chunks melt make it even more pepperminty!! ♥ it!!

So, I am going to leave you with this video today.  It is SO hilarious!  Love that Taylor Lautner can make fun of the Twilight Saga, and still enjoy being part of it.
Freaking funny, huh?  Well, I better get going for now!  I hope that you have a fantastic Tuesday!!  ♥

Until later,
~Lea

PS: I know you are probably sick of me talking about my new turquoise washer and dryer!  But I have one more thing to say about it.  I put the washer to the test this week...and washed my two white coats: a North Face fleece and down jacket.  I think they are now whiter than when I purchased them.  Love this set!  I totally recommend Electrolux if you are in need of a new set!!  Okay- bye now!

....that tonight's gonna be a good night!!!  Anyways, more about that later.  Let me just say that I have a silly little tutorial at the end of this that has nothing to do with crafting, but it is fun!!  Be sure and check it out!

But first, some card business!  :)  I have two cards to share with you today!  They are both based on the past couple of sketches at the Clean & Simple Stamping blog.  First up is my card for last week's sketch FTL71.

Card Instructions: Fold silver dotted paper in half to make your card and round the bottom corners.  Round the bottom corners of a block of white cardstock and adhere to the front.  Adhere green paper frill to the bottom of a strip of striped paper, and adhere to the top of the card.  Stamp the swirl and sentiment in silver pigment ink, and the ornament in scarlet pigment ink directly to the front of the card.  Add the ribbon to the top of the card, and accent with a bow, button, and twine.  Accent the stamping with green adhesive pearls to finish it. 

And this next card uses this week's sketch at the Clean & Simple blog, FTL72.  And I told you I would be using this stamp set again by RBD very soon!  It is such a fabulous set....so many option in one little stamp set!  Totally digging it! 

Card Instructions: Emboss a 5x7 white card front using the Cuttlebug and Swiss Dots folder.  Round the corners of a block of white cardstock and adhere to the front.  Punch a border to two of the three strips of patterned paper.  Layer all three strips to the front, with the borders being on the top and bottom strips.  Stamp the sentiment to the bottom of the white cardstock using Raw Silk pigment ink.  Stamp the tree on a separate piece of white cardstock using Raw Silk & Green Moss pigment ink, and cut out.  Adhere the tree to the front using foam adhesive and accent with adhesive pearls.  Add the ribbon to the front of the card, and accent with a bow and star pins. 

Now onto life stuff. ♥  We had an AMAZING time at the Griz game on Saturday.  It was cold, windy at times, started snowing tiny little ice razors....but it was freaking awesome!!  Can I just say something that I was so thankful for??  That I didn't bring a camera.  I know...that sounds awful coming from a photographer, but there were too many elements for me to deal with.  A camera would have made me miserable.  And without it, I got to be a crazy fan that just had a good time!  Sometimes that is how I need to approach life...not always looking at it from behind the camera.  Anyways...it is too hard to describe the atmosphere at the stadium, so I have a little tutorial for you. ;)  First off, start this song up:
During the first part....just jam a little.  Sing along if you know the words, have some fun, but keep it a little low key.  Remember....its a longer song, and you need to keep your energy.

I will admit...I haven't ever been a big red & green fan for Christmas colors.  I know they are traditional and all that...but I have always preferred non-traditional colors that are more winter oriented than Christmasy.  Well, I have a couple of Christmas cards to share today that are of the more traditional variety....and I actually like them.  Like I said...who knew. ;)

They are having a fun challenge over at Our Creative Corner to make holiday themed cards.  So, these are part of that challenge.  My first card is based on Kazan's Sketch 41 at 2 Sketches 4 U this week.  Oh how I LOVED turning this cute little sketch into my own!!  It is a really great one for Christmas cards, so be sure to check it out.  I also used one of the latest stamp releases from Renaissance by Design.  I LOVE this set...there will be more to come with this set very soon.  Here is what I came up with:

Card Instructions: Round the bottom corners of a red card base.  Round the bottom corners of a holidays paper block and ink the edges with distress ink.  Adhere to the front of the card.  Distress ink the edges of a strip of glitter dot paper, and add a strip of green paper frill to the bottom.  Adhere to the front of the card.  Round the bottom corners and distress ink the edges of a block of graph patterened paper, and adhere to the front.  Accent the corner of the paper with leaves, flowers and jewels.  Add a green glitter brad to the center of the flowers.  Stamp the sentiment inside the block using cranberry & sepia black pigment ink.  Distress ink a thin strip of striped paper and adhere to the top of the small paper block, and accent with jewels.
I have had this card sketched out since last week, but ran out of time to get it done until now.  It is based on last week's sketch at 2 Sketches 4 U, Laura's Sketch 40.  Can I just say how much I LOVE this window cut from the Christmas Solutions cartridge?  I see myself using it again in the near future....love it!  Here is my card:

Card Instructions:  Round the corners of a block of snowflake flocked paper and distress ink the edges.  Adhere to the middle of the card.  Distress in the edges of a strip of holiday patterned paper.  Punch an apron lace border to striped paper and cut into a thin strip.  Distress ink the entire border strip and adhere to the bottom of the holiday paper.  Adhere to the front of the card.  Accent the bottom of the holiday paper with ribbon, and a bow.  Tie a button around the bow with twine.  Cut the window diecut and its layers at 3 1/4" using the Cricut Expression and Christmas cartridge.  Adhere it to the front of the card.  Accent the window with a felt sticker and green jewel.

So, do I think I will change all my Christmas decorations to red and green in my home?  Well....no.  But, I don't have quite the aversion to it that I once did.  It is actually very pretty on projects, especially Christmas cards!  Now I know....:)

Well, we are headed to the Griz game pretty soon.  So, I better go and get layered up, since it takes a little bit to get dressed for these things.  The temp isn't going to get over 20 degrees....so we need to make sure we stay warm!  Here is hoping the Griz pull out another victory...then we will be on the way to the national championship!!  GO GRIZ! ♥

Until later,
~Lea

It is COLD here!  Like negatives and single digits cold!  Brrrr....not a fan.  But, tomorrow and Saturday are supposed to warm up into the 20's and low 30's....so it is practically going to be balmy! :)  Good thing...we are headed to the Griz game on Saturday.

I have a few cards to share with you tonight!  I saw that American Crafts was doing a holiday card challenge on their blog, and all you had to do was use two of their products.  Perfect time to break out some of the Merrymint line that I have and make some cards!!

First up is this one, which is also based on the bonus sketch at 2 Sketches 4 U this week.  I have plans to use the main sketch too...this one just happened first this week!

Card Instructions: Fold dotted paper in half to make your card base.  Add rub-ons to the lower right corner of a block of white cardstock, and emboss a border around the edges using a Scor-Pal.  Adhere the block to the front of the card.  Add red paper frill to the bottom of a strip of house paper and adhere to the front.  Accent the snow on the house paper with glitter Stickles.  Accent the card with jewels and pearls.

The next card is also winter themed, and based on ICS #46.  Fun little sketch...go check it out if you haven't seen it!

Card Instructions: Round the corners and emboss a block of white cardstock using the Cuttlebug machine and Snow Dots folder.  Adhere the block to the middle of a turquoise card base.  Round the corners of a block of snowflake paper and adhere to the front.  Round the bottom corners of a strip of striped paper and adhere.  Round the top corners of a block of white cardstock and add the rub-ons.  Adhere to the front of the card and accent with jewels.  Wrap ribbon around the striped paper and accent with a bow, button, and twine.

And last but not least, is this cute Christmas card based on Get Sketchy 17. 

Card Instructions: Round the corners of a block of candy paper and adhere to the front of a red card base.  Round the opposite corners of two blocks of dotted paper and adhere to the front.  Adhere a strip of ribbon across the middle.  Cut a circle from striped paper and adhere to the middle.  Hang a peppermint accent from the middle, and cover with a bow and button.  Add the sentiment around the circle using black letter stickers.

And look at what I found while surfing the net this week:
Eeeeeek!!  YAY!  I want to go see New Moon again while it is still in the theater...with a better seat this time.  I loved it though....very excited to see the next one too!

Well, I better get going for now.  Going to watch Casey play basketball tomorrow afternoon in Drummond, and then they are coming home with us for the night because it is a lot closer than going home.  Casey also has ACT's in the AM here in Missoula, and then another game in Drummond.  We are going to miss that one because we are going to the Griz game!!  Pretty excited about that...saw online today that they were putting up lights for the game.  It starts at 2pm, but the sun sets here around 4:30pm.  So, they had to bring in the lights.  Hope the Griz play like they did last week...they were on fire!

Oh.....my turquoise laundry pair was delivered and installed yesterday!  I LOVE them!!  I did laundry in record time yesterday, and they get everything SO clean!  Love....love....love them! ♥

Until later,
~Lea

I have one little card to share with you today, and that is my card for CPS 145 this week.  Be sure to hop on over and check out all the cards...they are fabulous!  I am loving the big star on the sketch this week, and everyone's interpretations of it!  Here is my card-

Card Instructions: Round the corners of a reindeer paper block and adhere to the front of a white card base.  Round the bottom corners of a strip of blue paper and add white paper frill to the top.  Adhere to the front.  Cut the star at 5" using the Cricut Expression and George & Basic Shapes cartridge.  Cover in glitter and adhere to the front of the card. Add the ribbon to the top of the star, and accent with a chipboard button.  Adhere the sentiment tags to the left side.  Cut the reindeer at 4.5" using the Cricut Expression and Winter Woodlands cartridge, and adhere to the front of the card.

We had such a fun Saturday at the Griz game!  It was definitely cold, but us Montanans know what were doing when it comes to layers!!  So, other than my face getting a little cold...I was good!  Here are some photos from the day!




And last but not least...just a little collage of random photos from the day.  I just took my tiny little D50 with a 50mm fixed lens so that it would be super portable...I wasn't attending as a professional photog, just a fan.  So- I wanted it to be easy!

I have some music to share with you today!  My little bro share this girl with me when they picked us up this weekend for the game....totally digging her.  I downloaded some of her songs from iTunes...she doesn't have many, but I love 4 of the 6 that are on there. Check them out if you like.  Here is my fave:

Well, I better get going for now!  I should have more to share later on this week! ♥

Until later,
~Lea

...it is FREEZING in Montana right now!  So cold...so cold.  I have been holed up most of the day in my house decorating, crafting, drinking hot tea....doing everything possible to avoid going outside.  I did have run a couple errands...but I did them as fast as I could and got right home.  And I am going to sit out in this for three hours on Saturday to watch a football game?!!  I think I might be a little crazy....

Anways, I have a few fruits of my labor to share with you tonight.  (This morning I guess...it is after midnight.) There is a little white on white Christmas challenge going on over at Daring Cardmakers...so I figured I needed to play along.  Considering I love a little white on white action myself...um wow.  That totally doesn't sound right...bare with me, apparently I am a little punchy tonight.  So, here is what I came up with:

Card Instructions:  Punch a border around the front part of the white card base, and cover the inside with pink cardstock.  Round the corners of a block of white cardstock and emboss with the Cuttlebug and Snowflakes folder.  Adhere to the front.  Round the bottom corners of a non-textured block of cardstock and adhere it to the front.  Cut two skinny trees from glittered cardstock using the Cuttlebug and Treetops diecut plate.  Adhere them to the smaller block of cardstock.  Cut a thicker tree from glittered cardstock and adhere to the front with foam adhesive.  Accent the trees with jewels, pearls, and ribbons.  Stamp the sentiment right below the trees using Ice Jade chalk ink and Dusty Plum pigment ink.  

The other projects I worked on today were some handmade Christmas ornaments for my tree.  Lots of Renaissance by Design ribbon here, jewels, pearls, buttons....I had a lot of fun with my glue gun and tacky tape!!  Here they are:
I think they are going to look pretty fabulous on my tree...which I am going to go do once I am done with this post!!  My tree is already so full of ornaments...but 8 more can't hurt. :)  I think similar items are also going to become Christmas gifts for Josh's colleagues, etc.  Hmmmm.....

For my random thing of the night...I seem to be on a scent kick the past couple days.  So, I figured I would let you know what I am loving right now for myself:
And I don't love it because it has the word Twilight in it...that is just plain silly.  The fragrance actually smells WONDERFUL...and I like how it makes me feel.  I feel pretty when I wear it, because I can subtly smell it almost all day.  I have a thing about liking to smell good...it is probably part of my obsession with my house smelling nice as well....so I am always on the lookout for that next great scent.  And I found it for now!  Yay!

Well, I better get going for now.  It is late...and I think I am blathering on.  So, I hope your Thursday was great, and your Friday even better!♥

Until later,
~Lea

...oh my!  **Sigh**  I love this color combo!  Come check out my Christmas tree if you don't believe me...tee hee!  This is the color combo for the Micro Challenge at Caardvarks, so I absolutely had to play along!  Here is my card:

Card Instructions: Round the right hand corners of your white card base.  Round the right hand corners and ink the edges of a patterned paper block.  Adhere to the front of the card.  Cut six circles from cardstock at 3/4" using the Cricut Expression and Accent Essentials cartridge.  Adhere the circles to a strip of white cardstock.  Tie ribbon around the left side and accent with jewels.  Add pink paper frill to the top and adhere the entire strip to the front of the card.  Add your sentiment with rub-ons, and accent with small pink jewels.

I also started this card for the challenge, and realized that it didn't have any green in it.  So- it became my 10 minute card of the day to share with you.  Super quick and easy....and pretty cute! (Well, I think so anyways!)

Card Instructions: Emboss a white card using the Cuttlebug and Love Language embossing folder, and then round the bottom corners.  Round the bottom corners of a block of non-textured white cardstock and adhere to the front.  Pen the line around the block of cardstock and accent the bottom with three jewels.  Adhere the chipboard bunny to the front, and then adhere the sentiment block with foam adhesive.

So, when we lived in a tiny little apartment forever ago in Salt Lake City...I found out that I don't like to burn candles.  Not even soy based ones.  NO- I didn't burn anything down.  But, upon moving out...I found that candles make your walls VERY dirty.  Thankfully...the rental company had plans to repaint, so we didn't have to pay for how dirty the walls were.  When we moved to our next little tiny apartment in Missoula...I lit candles underneath the kitchen venting.  That worked like a charm, and our apartment was tiny enough that it made the entire place smell good.  It also kept our walls nice and clean.  When we bought our home, I knew that this concept wasn't going to work any longer.  Not long after we moved in, we found these at B&BW, and have been using them ever since:

...my latest favorite color!  Tee hee- more about that later.  First off, I have a few cards to share with you!!  First up is my card for CPS this week.  We are being sponsored by Clear & Simple Stamps this week, and I got this cute little set called ABC...123.  If that isn't the cutest name?!...  Anyways...here is what I came up with:

Card Instructions:  Round the corners of a block of apple paper and adhere to the front of a green card base.  Round the corners of a smaller block of striped paper and adhere to the left side.  Cut the apple diecut at 4.5" using a Cricut Expression and the Home Accents cartridge from red & green cardstock.  Adhere the outline and stem to the middle of the card, and the apple insides to the left side.  Stamp the sentiment to a diecut tag and adhere to the front of the card with aqua dotted ribbon.  Add the ruler diecut to the left side, and then accent with a bow, button and twine.  Finish the card off by accenting with limeade colored jewels.

This next card is a fun one!  The latest challenge at "Everything But The Kitchen Sink" is to use toothpicks!  I decided I needed to take that challenge head-on, and this is what I came up with!  The card is also based on last week's ICS Sketch #44, which I am a little late on.  Oh well...better late than never!