My New Life

I haven't blogged in ages and I miss it.  I miss all of my blogging friends.  I still can't get back into card making even though I want to.  So much has happened in my life since the end of September, 2011.  I see things differently now and no longer take things for granted. Now I am on a new course and would like to share it with you.

I now live in a camper.....yep at my age.  I'm very comfortable here.  Slowly I am working on it and making it my home.  I've scoured the web for camper ideas and have seen some beautiful vintage camper restorations.  So I thought "why couldn't I blog about my life in a camper?"  Maybe someone out there can find some inspiration in their life.

First I need to tell you how I got here.  Before I do, let me say that I do not want sympathy.  I truly believe that everything happens for a reason even though we don't always know why.  I haven't been able to talk about it until now.  On September 30, 2011 I came home from work only to discover that we were losing our home.  My husband had shielded me from what had apparently been going on for a long time.  He was a recovering alcoholic and had been sober for more than 20 years.  He was drinking again and was not paying any of the bills.  He hid it very well.  Both of our pay went into one account and he managed it.  Anyway, I got home from work about 9:30 pm and at 10 o'clock we were told we had 24 hours to get out.  I was devastated!  I had to be at work the next day at 1 o'clock and I wouldn't take off because I couldn't let anyone know what had happened. When I tried to talk to hubby to figure out what we were going to do, he just blew it off.   Long story short I found a place to stay that night and left with what I could take quickly.  Before he quit drinking in 1995 I vowed that I would not live the alcoholic life ever again.  So after 26 years with him I was done.  I put my notice in at work for November 23, 2011.  The day before Thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving Day I boarded a plane with 2 bags and my little dog Pepper headed for my oldest sons house in Florida.  I had enough vacation time built up to get weekly paychecks until February.  New Years Day 2012 I got sick and couldn't even get up. Turns out I had Shingles inside my ear.  That was honestly the sickest I have ever been.  On January 9th my little Pepper died.  I was laid out sick until April.  Of course the paychecks had run out and I didn't think I could take any more.  I still wasn't well but wasn't laid out anymore.  I had to figure out what I was going to do.  So I cashed in my 401K and bought a car and a camper.  My son's home was small and they have 4 kids in the house and I was sleeping on the couch.  The camper was a Godsend.  So now we live waaaay out in the country and I have my own little yard on his property with my camper that I share with my 68# dog - Miss Bella and a little deer that thinks I'm his Mom.

So that is my story and in the posts to follow I will share my life in a camper with you.  Oh, by the way, I am very comfortable and content.

Daisy's Image Inspirations - Easter Egg

The image for Daisy's Image Inspirations is "Easter Egg".  Every other week Miss Daisy gives the Design Team an image to work with.  We all create a project using the same image.  I always like to see the different ways one stamp can be used.  Go to Daisy Doodles Creative Challenges Blog and see how the Design Team used this one.  You can get this digi stamp for half price at Daisy's Digi Doodles  (.50).  I decided to play around with PSE and do a digital card.  Here is what I ended up with:

Be sure to look at the rest of the DT and see how they used this.  Those girls did an amazing job with their eggs.  :)

Daisy Doodles - "Color Your World"

Challenge time over at Daisy Doodles Creative Challenges!!  The Challenge this time is to use any colors except brown or black.  I chose to use Miss Daisy's "Kite".  It's almost Kite Season so it seemed fitting.  Here's my card:

Another very simple card colored with Prismacolor Pencils and Goo Gone.  I didn't have any sponges so I did my clouds with a paper towel.  Not perfect but they'll pass .... LOL!

Stop by the other Design Team Blogs (in my left sidebar) and see their cards.  They are sure to inspire you.  Visit Daisy's Digi Doodles Store and see all of the lovely digi stamps and enter the challenge.  Hope to see you there!!

Daisy's Image Inspirations

It's time for our 2nd Daisy's Image Inspirations.  This time Miss Daisy gave us "Digger" to work with.  I hadn't used this one before so I jumped at the challenge.  Don't forget that there will be a special price on this image.  Here's my card:

Colored with Prisma Pencils and Goo Gone .... and the yellow mat is a paint sample I picked up from Wal-Mart.  This is a pretty simple card.  Not much more to say about it.  Except go to Daisy's Digi Doodles and pick up your "Digger".  Then go by Daisy Doodles Creative Challenges Blog and see what the rest of the Design Team did with their Diggers.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Lollipop Crafts  -  Anything Goes
Always Crafting  -  Anything Goes
Creative Card Crew  -  Masculine
Allsorts  -  Anything Goes
Penny's Paper-Crafty  -  Anything Goes

Daisy Doodles Sketch Challenge

Hi again!  The challenge over at Daisy Doodles Creative Challenges this time is a sketch challenge. And believe it or not I managed another card.  Second one in 6 months.  WOOHOO!!!!!!  Here is my card:

I planned on using my Nesties on this card only to discover that I lost them too.  Of all of the things I wanted the Nesties were at the top of my list.  Oh well ... I wasn't going to let that stop me.   So I cut my ovals out by hand.  My friend Joanne sent me an envelope with some papers and some odd and ends which worked perfectly for this card.  Thanks Jo!!!!! :)  I colored the image "Simply Daisies" with Prisma Pencils and blended with Goo Gone.  I used the papers that Joanne sent me and the medallion was already scored.  I just had to glue the ends together ..pretty easy.  You can find this image as well as many other fabulous images at Daisy Doodles.  The sentiment I did in PSE. 

Make sure you check out the rest of the Design Teams cards.  You can find their blog links on my left sidebar.  Use the sketch and get your card linked up for the challenge.  If we get 100 entries Miss Daisy will have 3 prizes up for grabs.

Here is the sketch:    

    

I am entering this card in these challenges:

One Stitch At A Time - Anything Goes

The Poodles Parlour - Anything Goes

Thank you so much for stopping by

NEW!!!! Daisy's Image Inspirations

This is the first week of Daisy's Image Inspirations.  Every other Wednesday Daisy Doodles Design Team will be featuring an image.  The image that is featured will be offered at a reduced price or for Free.  This week Miss Daisy is offering one of my favorite digi's ... "Poppy" ... for FREE.   Check out Daisy Doodles Creative Challenges Blog and see how each DT member used the image and find out how to get your free "Poppy" image.  I always love to see how different people use the same image.  Here is my card:

This is the first card I have managed in 6 months.  I didn't make it to Florida with my craft supplies.  The only things I made it with are my Prismacolor Pencils, flash drive with all my digi's, Cuttlebug, Embossing Folders and Nesties.  For that reason my card is a Clean and Simple card.  I printed the sentiment out on my base card and added the image layered onto green cardstock.  I used Scribbles paint for the embellishments.  I didn't have any blending stumps so after coloring with my Prisma Pencils I blended with Goo Gone and Q-tips ... lol.  And that is all there is to my card.  I hope it passes.

I am trying to get back to doing one card per week.  I really like CAS cards and given the fact I don't have supplies, I now have the opportunity to concentrate on CAS.  So things do work out.  :)

Thanks for stopping by,

Daisy Doodles is having a Design Team Call

Miss Daisy is lookin' for some new Design Team Members.  If you're interested in being part of a great easy going DT go over to Daisy Doodles Creative Challenges and have a look.

Cierra's Bow

When I last posted I was waiting for my transfer at work to come through and for them to find a replacement for me.  I didn't think it would ever happen but on Thanksgiving Day I boarded a plane along with my little dog "Pepper" heading to Florida.  My son picked me up at the airport and I was able to sit at the Thanksgiving table with my grandchildren for the first time in 4 years.  So I am now living with my son and his family in sunny Florida.  I love being around the kids on a daily basis again.  I was fortunate enough to have enough vacation time until after Christmas so for the most part I have been extremely lazy.

I've been doing some embroidery and sewing.  My granddaughter, Cierra takes a dance class at school and she asked me if I could make them hair bows.  They are responsible for coming up with a dance and their own costumes for a grade.  Of course I said yes ... although I have never made a hair bow.  I searched online for a tutorial and found a video from mommycraftsalot.  My bow isn't as pretty as hers but not bad for a first timer ... lol.  Anyway .. they are calling themselves The Flamingos so I embroidered a covered button to add to the center.  Here is the result:

I'm pleased but most importantly Cierra is happy with them.  

When we arrived at the airport on Thanksgiving the flight was about 1/2 hour early so while we were waiting I couldn't resist taking a picture of Pepper.  Boy was she glad to get here ... lol

Hopefully I will get out of vacation mode and start posting again.  I am looking so forward to spending Christmas with the kids.  And afterwards I hope to get back into some kind of routine.  So until next time .. have a great day!!!!!

Nook

I got a special request in my Etsy Store for a Nook Cover and wanted to show it to you.  The request was for a cover with a map of Boston.  Needless to say fabric with a map of Boston was no where to be found.  So I went to Michael's and got inkjet printer fabric sheets.  I had never used them so really didn't have a clue if or how it would work.  I found a map of Boston on line and printed it onto the sheets.  WOW!!  I wanted to show you how it turned out.

This is the front

The Back

and opened

I am really pleased with the way it turned out.  I only hope my customer likes it as well as I do.  Imagine all the things you could do with these fabric printer sheets.  Hmmmm ... I wonder if I could color on them with my Prisma pencils?!?    :)

Update

It has been so long since I have posted I thought that I should probably update you on what's going on.

My Husband lost his job due to health problems so I picked up extra hours at my job as well as doing side work for extra income.  I opened a little Etsy Shop and have been using my spare time to make items for that.  You can find my shop HERE if you are interested in having a look.

And now for the good news ..... DH has finally agreed to move to Florida.  My oldest Son (and DIL) and Grandchildren moved there 4 years ago and I have missed them terribly.  I put in for a transfer at my job and am waiting for it to come through.  If everything goes according to plan we will be there before Thanksgiving.  So in the meantime we have been sorting and cleaning and packing what we can.  I don't know how long they'll give me when the transfer comes through to report to the new workplace so I need to be ready.  Can't wait ... lol.

Anyway, just thought I give you a heads up.  I probably won't be doing any cardmaking until after the move but will post some of my sewing projects from time to time.  

Have an awesome day!!!  :)

Not Cards ....

I have been so busy sewing lately that I haven't done much in the way of card making .... shame on me!!!!!  But I thought I would show you what I've been up to.  My husband bought me an embroidery machine a few years ago.  Cierra (DGD) and I used it a couple of times and decided that it was no fun and put it up.  I love handwork so pushing a few buttons and watching it embroidery bored me.  A couple of weeks ago I got it back out thinking if I wasn't going to use it I would sell it.  Well I have been embroidering up a storm.  I have made kindle and nook covers .... ring bearer pillows and a bunch of lace earrings.

Here is a ring bearer pillow I made:

And here are some of the earrings:

I've made about 12 pr. of earrings in a lot of different colors.  I need to work on my photography but I'll get there.   And one more thing..... this is a little linen Fold Over Bag I made:

Anyway this is what I've been up to .... I'll get a card up here in a couple of days.  :)

Thanks for looking!

Stars and Stripes at Daisy Doodles

The new challenge at Daisy Doodles Creative Challenges is "Stars and Stripes".  I chose ...once again... the Lighthouse.  I had a picture in my mind of what I wanted my card to look like and this isn't quite what I had pictured but close....LOL.  Anyway this is what I ended up with:

I am going to retire this image for a while ... I have used it to death but I do love it.  You can find it HERE at Daisy's Digi Doodles for only $1.00.

Challenges:

Card Creations & More By C - 2W, 1E - Something Patriotic

WOOHOO!!!! Time to announce Blog Hop Winner!

Thank you so much for hopping along with us on the Daisy Doodle Happy Happy Blog Hop.  Each of us are giving away the image that we used for the hop to one lucky winner.  The winner of my image

 "Tropicana"

is

Janie Printz 

of

http://janiescreativecorner.blogspot.com/

Congratulations Janie!!!!!  Send us an email with "Blog Hop Winner" in the subject line to daisydoodlescc@gmail.com

so we can get your prize out to you.

Nook Cover

Just thought i'd show you my project for today.  It's not a card ... LOL.  This is a sewing project.  I have decided to make sleeves for the eReaders.  This is my first attempt.

(In real life the button matches the green of the cover)

This one is for my bosses wife.  She has the Nook.  So what do ya think?  I want to make a few more for the different eReaders and Tablets .... and one for a Laptop.  I have opened up an Etsy Shop and will be selling these and hopefully some other handmade items.  I've got some ideas of things I'm wanting to make.  We'll see how it goes.  :)

Thanks for coming by,

New Daisy Doodles Challenge

The challenge is to make a masculine card for Fathers's Day.  Every year when it's gets close to Father's Day my thoughts always turn to my Dad.  My Dad was a good man and truly was one of a kind.  There is not a day that goes by that I don't miss him.  With him in mind I created this card.

I know ....  more blue and more white space.   And the Lighthouse again .... I just can't help myself.  This image is so versatile ... it can be used for any occasion.  I have another card coming soon using it in a different way.  I hope you don't get tired of this image because I LOVE it!!

I colored it with Prismacolor Pencils and OMS.  Other than the image the supplies consist of blue and white cardstock .... blue ink .... letter stamps and one small piece of blue ribbon.  That's it.

Go to Daisy Doodles Creative Challenges Blog and see the inspiration there from the rest of the Design Team.  There are some wonderful cards.  Enter the challenge and let us see your projects for Father's Day.  You can visit Daisy's Digi Doodles and see all of her fabulous images.

I am entering this card in these challenges:
Come and Get It Challenges - Fathers Day
Creative Inspirations - 2W - Fathers Day or Card for Dad
Creative Inspirations Paint - 1E - Dad or Special Male
Here Come the Boys  - Fathers Day/Hubby/Partner
Craft Your Days Away  - 2W -  2nd W -  #21 Fathers Day/Special Man
Crafty Emma - E3 - #39 Clean & Simple
ECP Challenges - 2W -  2nd W -  #39 For Dad
Fussy and Fancy - 2W - Card for a male
Stamp Something - Use a digi

CELEBRATION BLOG HOP

Time for the Daisy Doodles Celebration ....  HAPPY HAPPY Blog Hop and SALE!!   WOOHOO!!!

This Blog Hop is to celebrate Miss Daisy's Anniversary and the one year Anniversary of Daisy's Digi Doodles Store.  Hard to believe that a year has already gone by.  The SALE (50% off any item in the store) will run with the Hop through June 5th.

I am the first stop on the hop so if you came to me via  Daisy Doodles Creative Challenges Blog then you are on the right track.  If you get lost along the way ..  then go back to Daisy Doodles Creative Challenges Blog and find your way
.
Each Blog is giving away the digi that they used for their project ... just follow their instructions for your chance to win.  I have used Daisy Doodles "Tropicana" for my card.  

All you have to do to for your chance to win this set is leave a comment on this post and I would love it if you became a follower.   You have until Midnight Sunday, June 5th to get your comments in for your chance to win.   At the end of the hop you will have a chance to win an image of your choice.  The winners will be announced on June 12th.

Now on to my card to celebrate Miss Daisy's Double Anniversary!

I used the following sketch created by our own Lucy and colored the image with Watercolor Pencils and an aquabrush.  All the supplies are from my scrap basket and the sentiment was a stamp I picked up at Joann's from the $1.00 bin.  Love using up my scraps!

I hope you have fun celebrating with us.  And don't forget to enter at each stop for a chance to win Digi's! Your next stop on the Hop is ... KARY ... our newest DT member.

Hop List:

Rhonda  <<< you are here

Kary

Sammi

Tina

Kathy

Cheryl

Liz

Mandy

Stephanie

Lucy

Jacqueline

Lawren

Nikki

Shelly

Caroline

Clare

Joanne

DDCC

Thinking Of You with LSS

For my card this week for Lindsay's Stamps Stuff   I have used an image from one of my favorite sets.  I seem to have several favorite sets ... LOL!!  This is from Lindsay's "Birds and Branches" set.

Right now I am really liking white space on cards ... just really like the look.  I also seem to be using a lot of blue lately.  Not sure what's up with that.  Still determined to use up my stash before buying anything new .... everything came from what I had on hand.  I colored the image with Prismacolor Pencils and OMS.  The sentiment is from Studio G.

Lindsay's Stamp Stuff Images can be found at mygrafico.  Check out Lindsay's Blog ... The Frugal Crafter ... for some amazing inspiration.  She has been posting a lot of video tutorials.  And she really is frugal !!  On Thursday's she posts a freebie and at the end of the week she'll have a round-up of the DT projects for this week.  You can find the Design Team Blogs in my right side bar.  More awesome inspiration!!

I am entering this in these challenges:
Partytime Tuesdays - #18 Anything Goes
Top Tip Tuesday -  Wrap it Up with Ribbon
DDH Challenges -  Only one layer
Incy Wincy Designs - Nature
Make it Monday - Always anything goes


thanks for coming by,

Just Saying Hello

This week for my free card over at Daisy Doodles I chose "Ribbit".  I don't know why but I don't think I have ever used him.  He really is cute.

You can find him HERE at Daisy's Digi Doodles for only $2.00.  I colored him with Prismacolor Pencils and OMS.  The sentiment is a Studio G Stamp and everything else is from my stash.

If you haven't yet .. there is still time to enter Daisy Doodles Creative Challenges and get your card in.  The challenge is Red/White/Blue.  You can win Daisy Doodles Images!!!!!

Challenges:
Incy Wincy Designs - Nature
KB Cute Monday - Anything Goes
Make it Monday - Always anything goes
The Outlawz - Sentiment required - Anything goes with a sentiment on the card front
2 Sisters - #41 Anything Goes


Thanks for stopping by today,

LSS - Posh 'n' Trendy

I think my very favorite cards are the clean and simple ones.  When I first began using digi's .. for me it was all about the images.   As time went on I added more stuff and am now back to the less is more frame of mind.  I attempted a one layer card but wasn't real sure what constituted one layer.  Is the background considered a layer?  I am thinking yes.  Are embellishments such as ribbons or gems a layer?  I have no idea ....  but I'm thinking no.  Hopefully some of you will share your thoughts.

Anyway ... after all of that  (LOL) here is my attempt at a one layer card:

I just printed the image and sentiment out on the card base.  This is one layer ... right?!?    This image is from one of my very favorite digital stamp sets "Posh 'N' Trendy" from Lindsay's Stamp Stuff.  You can find it at mygrafico Store.  The sentiment is from Raindrop Echoes HERE.

Visit Lindsay's Blog  .. The Frugal Crafter .. for tons of inspiration.  You'll find tutorials and lots of ideas and information on a lot of things.  Every Thursday she has a Freebie and at the end of the week a round-up of all the Design Team projects.  But id you don't want to wait until the end of the week you can visit their blogs located in my right side bar.

Challenges:
Sentimental Sundays - one layer card and a sentiment
Crafty Cardmakers Spotlight Challenge - 2W, C10 - challenge yourself to try something new
Make it Monday - Always anything goes
Stamps R Us - 2W, 2E - Goin Digital - use something digi
Woodware USA - 2E - Anything Goes

Red, White and Blue Challenge at Daisy Doodles

The bi-weekly challenge at Daisy Doodles Creative Challenges is Red White and Blue.  I chose an image from the "Summer Fun" set from Daisy's Digi Doodles Store.  Here's my card:

The image is colored with Prismacolor Pencils and OMS.  The sentiment is a clear $1 Studio G Stamp.  Stop by the Design Team Blogs listed in my left side bar and see their projects.  Then head over to Daisy Doodles Creative Challenges and get your Red, White and Blue project entered in the challenge to win Daisy Doodles Stamps.

Challenges:

I Did It Creations - Anything Goes

2 Sisters - #40 Use A Digi

Crafty Catz - 1E - Anything goes

Inspire Me Fridays - Always anything goes