Sweet Sunday Sketch Winner

It's time to announce this week's (er, I mean LAST week's) Sweet Sunday Winner!  I think I've finished digging out from under the mountainous piles of wrapping paper, ribbon, dishes (you know, the fine china you can't put in the dishwasher), and yummy treats.  The only thing missing this year was snow - it's so bizarre having absolutely no snow here in the Front Range of Colorado this time of year.  The mountains are getting all the snow, and we're missing out.  Oh, and the East Coast is getting a ton too, so if you read that and are mad, just know that I'm one of those weird people who love those big blizzards, haha!  My oldest was outside in shorts and a light jacket this afternoon - WHAT?

Ok, rambling again - This week's winner is.....  #11 - Wendy!

Wendy made this adorable money holder with the sketch and I love the candy cane paper and happy Santa!  Congrats Wendy!  You can see more of Wendy's work on her blog, WeeBeeStampin4Fun, so please swing on by and give her some love. 

See you back this Sunday when we'll pick back up with the next challenge!

Karen

Happy Birthday Jodi!!

That's right!  It's my pal Jodi Collins' birthday today and we celebrating her by showering her with some blog love!  The party started over at Karen Motz's blog and she has a complete list of hoppers there and if you came to my blog through Jessica Diedrich, you're right on schedule.

I was so lucky to have met Miss Bon Jodi in real life when we helped out in the Taylored Expressions booth at CHA in January and let me tell you, this girl will make you laugh! Thanks for the ab workout, sister!!  Never a dull moment, HUH??!!???

I decided to go sweet and simple for her card using FTL121 for the layout.  I stamped the stems from Friendship Blooms in Olive Pastel fluid chalk ink and used some Material Girl buttons for the flowers with Baker's Twine bows.  I used the Leafy Branch Die underneath the image for a little accent.  The sentiment is from In the Park - and no, it's NOT 'Happy_Birthday'.  That was just an unfortunate grain in the paper getting in the way of my sentiment, but it still made me giggle.  I don't think I could have lined that up on purpose!  The scallops are made from the Medium Scallops Die.

Jodi's birthday celebration continues over at Wendy Bond's blog, so please keep the party going and give Jodi some birthday love over at her blog too :)

See you back soon!
Karen

recipe -

stamps: in the park, friendship blooms (taylored expressions)

paper: kraft, prism island mist light, choice buttercream cardstock, thrift shop (october afternoon)

ink: olive pastel & dark brown fluid chalk ink (colorbox)

accessories: lacey circles & circle nestabilities (spellbinders), leafy branch die (taylored expressions), medium scallop border die (taylored expressions), baker's twine (taylored expressions), material girl buttons (cosmo cricket)

Merry Christmas

I was a complete and total slacker this year and didn't make my own Christmas cards and I opted to go the photo card route.  I'm really excited to send some of my absolute favorite photos I took of the kids this fall and love how it turned out. Andrew went with me to scope out a setting for a family shoot I did a little while ago and he was my handsome little helper and let me take some practice shots of him.  That little "peace" photo was one of my favorites of him that day.

This is what happened toward the end...

He treats me like I'm Paparazzi - it's a love/hate relationship with my lens... But he saves his 1000 hugs and kisses for me each day.  He's such a little love.

Katie, she's my princess.  Everything dressy and twirly and just pure "love".  The photo of her was taken for my photography class and it quickly became my all-time favorite of her.  I think it's the light shining through her amazing, chocolate eyes.

How can I deny her anything?  Oh right, it's that money thing.  She's such a sweetie.

I've posted this photo of Avery before, but it's rare she gets in front of the camera and doesn't stick out her tongue or squeeze her eyes shut tight.  That girl...

She's my no-nonsense girl.  No ribbons.  No fancy hairdos.  Certainly no dresses.  She's just like me!  My Mini Me.

Have a wonderful Holiday and fabulous New Year.  See you back soon!
Karen

Warm Fuzzies

Howdy!!  Are you surprised to see me here?  haha!  I had some time to make another card and since it's all about Christmas this week, I thought I'd ink up my penguins again.  I can't help it.  It's the fuzzy hats.  I think I'm addicted to them.  I wonder if there is a support group for that?

This little cutie is from Penguin Pals and I stamped him in Memento Tuxedo Black and colored it with Copic markers.  I also used a glitter gel pen over the lights and star on the tree, just for a little extra somethin'.  The patterned and purple papers are from the Snow Day Project Pantry Kit and I added a Medium Scallop Border as well as some Sugar Sparkly Fluff on the penguin's hat (naturally).

I popped up the penguin and then the gift for some 3D flair too.

OK, I had better be off to wrap, wrap, and wrap some more! Where is the time going???

Thanks for stopping by!
Karen

recipe -

stamps: penguin pals (taylored expressions)

paper: kraft cardstock, snow day project pantry kit (taylored expressions)

ink: memento tuxedo black

accessories: medium scallop border die (taylored expressions), red rhinestones (kaisercraft), red grosgrain ribbon (snow day project pantry kit - taylored expressions), sugar sparkly fluff (our craft lounge), large corner rounder, bow easy

Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge 97

Good morning - It's time for another Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge! Here is the deal: make a card with this layout and use the InLinkz button down at the very end of this post to enter your card. The links will close on Friday at 10 PM (Mountain Time), and I'll randomly select one card to feature on my blog on Saturday. So, as long as your card is linked by 10 PM Friday, your card will be in the drawing. Be sure to link directly to the blog post or gallery image which features your card. You may post a picture of the sketch on your blog, but please save the image to your computer first. Use the keyword SSSC97 if you plan to post your card in an online gallery.

The size of my card is 6-1/2" x 3-1/4" and I opted to use some Holiday Lounge paper from Stampin' Up!  I didn't add any cardstock layers, which kept this one fairly simple.  The scallop border is MFT's Jumbo Scallop Die and I had to cut it out twice and hid the seam under the ornament {shhhh, don't tell!}.  The ornaments are a Silhouette cut file that my sweet friend, Nancy McKinney made and shared with me - aren't they darling?

We're taking a break next week for Christmas, so we'll see you back for another new sketch on January 2nd.

The Sweet Sunday Stampers have amazing sketch samples to show you today, so stop on by to see:

• Jennifer Tapler
• Karen Motz
• Laura Fredrickson
• Lynn Put
• Sarah-Jane Kale'
• Vicki Burdick

Thanks for taking on the challenge this week! 
Karen

recipe -

paper: sahara sand (stampin' up!), choice snow white (taylored expressions)

accessories: clear & red rhinestones (kaisercraft), ornament cut file (my very sweet friend), cranberry crisp stitched ribbon (stampin' up!), linen thread, jumbo scallop die (my favorite things)