Bloom Where You are Planted - Penny Black Meets Tim Holtz

Life, even in the hardest times, is full of moments to savor.  

They will not come this way again, not in this way.  

Paula Rinehart

Penny Black Angelette stamp, Tim Holtz flower dies, butterfly punch, copic markers,
Cricut cutting and writing feature, silver leafing pen

Hey there,

"Bloom where you are planted."  This phrase takes on new meaning  today when we're "planted" in our homes like potted tulips.  I'm finding I don't actually hate having time to catch up on some things I've been longing to do.  My husband and I are fortunate to be able to work in our tax business from home at a more leisurely pace, with people dropping off their information and having their taxes  filed electronically.  Yay for technology!  I don't know how the young moms are keeping it together entertaining their confined kids with the added responsibility of  home schooling. I'm pretty sure I would have died...or someone would have. 😄  It's much easier for my husband and I.   We are truly blessed.

So how do I  go about blooming where I'm planted?  I have made myself a promise that I will be a better person when things get back to "normal."  I'm walking most days in our beautiful wetlands and enjoying Spring as I have never done before.   I'm spending time organizing and simplifying my home.  I'm listening to less news and more podcasts and books. I'm quilting and sewing masks for my friends and family.  I'm texting, calling, emailing and checking in on those I love.  I'm creating some handmade "just because" cards and actually mailing them.  I'm feeling peaceful and optimistic because I'm not allowing myself to worry about things I can't control.

How are you blooming where you're planted?  I hope you are looking forward to emerging from this challenge with a whole panoply of lessons, skills and memories to add to your amazing book of life.

Thank you for visiting.
Go forth and bloom where you're planted.
Nancy

Playing along with:

Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge #386

Crafty Gals Corner Challenge #206

Creative Moments Challenge #189

Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday April Challenge

Colour Crazy Challenge - Week 16

Cut it Up Challenge #198

Retro Rubber Challenge #133 - Penny Black Stamp 2017

Through the Craft Room Door Challenge - April 21

Classic Design Challenge #4
Penny Black Saturday Challenge - April

Conie Fong Emma Rose Digi

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single

 moment before starting to improve the world.

Anne Frank

Hey there,

Just look at the lovely locks on THIS adorable Conie Fong image!  So fun to color and such good practice on hair coloring. I just love to color Conie's sweet faces with the soulful eyes.

I've used this pretty Spellbinders frame so many times, but I keep coming back to it because it fits a 5 x 7 image so well.  I edged my image panel with a gold leafing pen and attached it to the frame with mounting tape for dimension.  The sentiment is a stamp framed with a gold fancy Spellbinders die cut.  I added some glitter to a  pink paper rose for a small embellishment.  The polka dots on her dress are created with a white gel pen.

I forgot how heavenly Conie's images are to color.  I have a stack of them waiting, and plenty of time at the moment to binge color. Coloring and listening to beautiful music or a podcast.  Blissful. 

Thanks for visiting,
Go forth and use this quiet time to do something you love.
Nancy

Playing along with:

Arty Divas Challenge #19

Digi Choosday Challenge #15

Through the Craft Room Door - April 14

Pammie's Inky Pinkies challenge #2015
Avenue 613 Create Challenge #232
The Corrosive Challenge #4
Crafters Castle Challenge #28
Colour Crazy Challenge #14
Crafts Galore Encore April Challenge
Love to Scrap Challenge #132

Lori Whitlock Shaped Card - Glittery Easter Chick

The great gift of Easter is hope.

Basil Hume

Lori Whitlock svg, floral dp, yellow glitter paper, Cricut Maker, pink glitter gem, Nuvo clear glaze

Hey there,

Nothing says Easter like a cute fuzzy (glittery) chick.  I found this adorable svg in Lori Whitlock's store and knew it would be perfect to create  cards  to wish my friends and family a Happy Easter. A little happy mail should be a welcome distraction from  the fact that the Bunny won't be filling their baskets with See's candy this year.  Some of the goodies in my baskets will  include handmade face masks and grocery store gift cards.  And that bunny better wear gloves and a mask when he's hopping around my house.  But some cozy holiday simpatico with family is better than sugar any day.  

 I used my Cricut Maker to cut the pieces for my shaped card, which measures 5 x 7 inches.  The chick is cut out of yellow glitter paper and the small features out of white card stock which I colored with my Copics.  I chose a pretty floral print dp for my card base and lined the inside with a blue card stock panel. My chick is adorned with a pretty gold metallic polka dot bow accented with a glittery pink gem. I used Nuvo clear glaze over the eye to give it shiny dimension. 

I used the Print then Cut feature in Cricut Design Space to create my border sentiment, which I edged with a gold leafing pen.  The inside sentiment is a Hero Arts stamp. 

Thanks for visiting.

Go forth and be thankful for the blessings of Easter.

Nancy 

Playing along with:

Crafty Gals Corner Challenge #206

Paper Funday Challenge #16

Watercooler Wednesday Challenge #266

Always Fun Challenge #157

Crafting Happiness Challenge #43

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge #254

Pearly Sparkles Challenge #50

Sparkles Monthly Challenge #126

My Time to Craft Challenge #429

Prima Princess Birthday Card - You Sparkle

Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely.

Auguste Bodin

Prima Princess Charlotte stamp, peel of gem stickers, white gel pen,
Spellbinders scalloped frame die, mounting tape, copic markers

Hey there,

When my sweet, thoughtful friend surprised me at our crafting group a while ago (bc=before Covid-19) with a beautiful Prima Princess Charlotte stamp, just because she knows it's "my style," I knew the best way to thank her was to create a card for her using this lovely image.  Her March birthday  presented the perfect opportunity and I planned to present it to her in person at our March group meeting.   Who knew we would all be sheltering in our homes when her birthday celebration rolled around.  So this card was sent by snail mail, stuffed with paper hugs and kisses, and a wish that we will be celebrating our delightful group birthdays together soon.

All the mandala detail seemed a little daunting at first, but with a fairly limited palette, things came together quickly.  The stamp itself is made for a 5 x 7 card, but I cut it down to accommodate my 6- inch frame.  I used subtle peel off sticker gems for blingy shine without too much bulk.  I added some extra sparkle with regular gems in the centers of the mandalas. The image panel is edged with a silver leafing pen and mounted to the scalloped frame and card base with mounting tape. 

I'm so grateful to have an artistic pursuit that keeps me happy and busy tucked inside my cozy home for now.  And I love sending happy mail to my friends who are in the same boat.  Life is full of  exciting surprises and  unexpected challenges....and ain't it grand?

Thanks for visiting.

Go forth into the next room for a Hallmark movie and a homemade cookie.

Nancy. 

Playing along with:

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #117

Paper Minutes Challenge #635

Through the Craft Room Door April 7

The Paper Girls Challenge #197

Avenue 613 Challenge # 232

Creative Moments Challenge #188

Crafty Creations Challenge #408

Little Red Wagon Challenge #544

DT For Morgan's ArtWorld Challenge #4 - Morgan Fitzsimons Fantasy Fae Digi Stamp

Morgan's ArtWorld Fantasy Fae digi stamp, Copic Markers, clear gems,
white gel pen, silver striped glitter card stock, water color designer paper (background) 

Hey there,

I hope you and your loved ones are  healthy and calm while all the chaos swirls in the world around us.  I believe faith and hope are always the answer, with some fun time spent creating beautiful things to bring sunshine and peace to our souls.  Are you ready to do something fun that doesn't require you to share your "personal distancing" space? It's time again for another fabulous  Morgan's ArtWorld Challenge.  

For our April Challenge, I have chosen THIS lovely fantasy fae image from Morgan's shop to inspire peaceful thoughts of a beautiful mystical fairy garden.  I colored my intriguing fairy with copics and created a black "iron" gate in Cricut Design Space to frame her. Four layers of black card stock are glued together to create dimension.  The bottom of my image is glued behind the gate and the top is raised with dimensional tape, just slightly overlapping it.  I embellished the ornamental swirls with clear gems and added a striped glitter card stock panel to my  5 x 7 card base for added sparkle.  I fussy cut the large rose from my image and mounted it to the outside of the gate with dimensional tape.  

Now it's your turn to use your imagination to create something fabulous for our challenge.

Click HERE to go to the current challenge.

We would love to see you join Morgan's ArtWorld Facebook Group.Group Link HERE!

Morgan has a new shop that will be fully open soon but there are some digi images available for purchase now. HERE

Thanks for visiting,

Go forth and find the joy in entering a Morgan's ArtWorld Challenge.

Nancy

Playing along with:

Arty Divas Challenge #18

Digi Choosday Challenge #13

Through the Craft Room Door - 31st March Challenge

World Wide Open Design Team Challenge #3 - March 15th

Creative Fingers Challenge #182

Dream Valley Challenge # 222