Feeling very Tink

When I made this card, I was thinking of Tinkerbell and spring. I wanted her to be very light and airy, like late springtime is. So out comes my favorite Stamping Bella image, Tinkerbella. Now, everyone knows that I love my cuttlebug almost as much as as I love Tinkerbell so if I'm doing a Tink card, the background is going to have to be some kind of embossed background! I used Bloom Dots with blue to make it look like she was floating in the air and I layered her on a sage green for the new blooming grass and leaves that are coming up. I colored her with my Prismacolor pencils and OMS and I had to give her some flowers! And when I'm doing up Tink, I can't forget the stickles! "Glitter! Glitter!", she cries to me!

Sunday nights were magical for me because I would sit in front of the television set and wait for Walt Disney World to come one just to see that magical pixie zip across the screen the her pixie dust trailing behind her. And then when she would wave her wand, I so wanted to be right underneath it catching that gently falling dust. Somehow I knew it would make everything beautiful, fresh and new.

I live in Maine and it's just now starting to be rich and lush with foliage. Branden and I walked around the property last night and counted 30 Ladies Slippers! They just seemed to pop up lately and they're just so beautiful and delicate. First think in my mind is a fairy floating around and spreading her pixie dust over all that she sees. So I had to do a Tinkerbella card. I could have made her in pink but I've got another fairy in mind for that. Besides, I think Tinkerbell's a bit to sassy for pale pink! So I'll let this adorable sprite to reside in the woods in back of our house and have dominion over all that she sees!

Summertime and Hanna Stamps!!!

Everyone who knows me knows that I love Hanna Stamps. They got me back into stamping and I've had the greatest time with these stamps. Kristi Ferro, the owner, is one of the funnest, most gracious people I've ever done business with. She has great stamps, has a great outlook on life, loves Wii and well, she just rocks! So she put out a 1:1 Exchange on the Hanna Stamps yahoo list so I signed up. So who's name did I get? Hers. Wow! Talk about having butterflies in my stomach in doing a project and sending it out. I tell you, those of you who are on design teams, I don't know how you do it! I admire your spunk and confidence in your work. Well, I pulled out my SPF50 mini set, sucked in a breath of fresh air, breathed it out, and this is what I came up with.

I love the tin! A new friend of mine on another list sent me one and I had such fun, I ordered a couple more so this one is my version of Fun in the Sun. I was reading a post where Kristi said she'd like to have one to put her cuttlebug folders in so I thought it would be a perfect project. I found the directions on Splitcoaststampers. The tin is from Oriental Trading company, the paper is by Bazzill, Modgepodge, and assorted ribbons.

Then, I thought what do I really enjoy during the summer? Wine. So I decided to stamp a few of the images on Shrinkidink and make some charms for wine glasses out of them. I thought they came out cute. I put them around the handle of the tin so I wouldn't lose track of them! I colored them with Sharpies. I forgot how much fun shrinking stuff could be!

Then I was exhausted but since I love the SPF50 set, I just wanted to make a card. I love the background paper. I picked it up at Joann's and I didn't see a company or name on the back of it. But I loved it.

So Kristi, here's my summer project that's going postal today just for you. Enjoy!

Pets, cats and more....

Growing up, we didn't have many pets. There was Blackie, our cat who came and went as he liked. Then there were a number of kittens, but after I became allergic to them, they weren't allowed to stay very long. When we moved to Toledo, I took in a stray that was part Persian. We named her Schukems. She'd go outside during the night and jump up to my window and claw the screen when she was ready to come in. She was a terror! She would sit up in the tree and as dogs came trotting by without their owners, she's jump down and scare them out of the yard! My nephew Stevie thought she was the greatest thing and when he'd come around and scream for her, she'd go run underneath Mom and Dad's bed and stay right in the middle, right out of his reach! What a character she was! And she looked a lot like this cutie! She lived a long, happy life and we all enjoyed her.

When I moved into my apartment, I got my cat, Porthos, that I've talked about. He got mad at me for moving and took off, but decided to tease me and stay around the neighborhood. This image reminded me so much of Porthos and Schukems. It's that time of the year when the weather has broken and animals are out roaming. I keep looking for Porthos to show up around the neighborhood, but so far, no luck. But I'm still hopeful. And when he does, I'm sure he'll look just like this!

And then there's my Hagrid and the fish. They're staying with me, at least so far anyway!

My friend, Ami, sent me this image when I was Image Queen for our StampCrazyColorBox list. I colored this mad cat with my Prismacolor pencils and OMS and used a pumpkin colored card stock. I love how he turned out and I'd love to just see Porthos, even if he's still mad at me.

Here, let me fix that for you...

I love the show "Tool Time". Love Tim Taylor's take on things and how he always wants to be right. This past Christmas we bought Branden a great set of power tools. They came in a nice box and we got like the last set for a while. The trouble is when we went to hide them (people look everywhere around the house for stuff so finding a hiding place at the house isn't an option if it's something you don't want found!), I put them with someone who was gone for a while. Christmas came and went and all Branden had was a picture and the promise of his tools to come. He wasn't going to use them until the weather broke, but he should have had them. When we were able to get them to him, he was like a kid in a candy store! If there's anything we need fixed around the house, he's always ready to pull out tools and take care of it. Be it cars, tables, furniture, ramps for their automated little motor cars, or dirt bikes, they've got the tools to get it done. Funny how younger kids don't seem to fight when they're fixing things together. Or perhaps they don't fight when you can hear them!

I've heard men fighting over putting things together my whole life. I remember Mom and Dad bought a shed to put the lawnmower and rakes in. My uncle came over and was going to help. They laid out all the parts and just dove in. Didn't read the directions or instructions. They knew what they were doing. They both had different opinions and ways and knew that their way was right and only their way. They could figure it out themselves. Yeah, right! After lots of arguing and fighting and "I told you sos", they finished. What could have taken them an hour took at least five or six! Once I got my license, every time there was something around the house to put together, I grabbed the keys to one of the cars and off I'd go. All I wanted was peace and quiet!

When I saw Fixafella, I knew he was one of the guys that I had to own. I could do anything I wanted to him and let's admit it. Every guy thinks he can fix things. Be it your heart, your life or your DVD stands, they can make everything right. I still like to think that that's possible. Or at least for most of the time!

So for the men in my life that have fixed things for me, here's to you! Fix away!

Fairy Godmother

Stella rocks! She may be a bit off skewed, but you can just tell by the sweet look in he eyes that her intentions are pure and true. But every now and then, she goes a little bit over the top. Sometimes she gets a bit tipsy, and ends up holding that olive instead of eating it. I'm sure that's only after like her seventh or eighth tini.

I think everyone has a favorite aunt, cousin, godmother, mentor, some woman who has touched them and looks out for them even when we're not aware. I think I've posted before that other than being a mother, my favorite role has been being Aunt Susie. I love being Aunt Susie and being able to go over the top, giving all I can, as much as I can, for as long as I can. When you give that much, sometimes you need to let loose. And every now and then, that tini glass seems to get empty faster than we think! I'm sure that's the case with Fair Godmother Stella here!

I colored Stella With an Olive on Top with my Prismacolor pencils and OMS and used Glossy Accents by Ranger on the glass to make her look like she'd really fallen into a glass. I think she came out pretty good. I'd eat that olive anyway! Could be because this stamp could have very well been called Aunt Susie with an Olive on Top!