Pictures of my Darling Husband and I on vacation in Europe

Russia Estonia

Germany

London

Getting ready for the flight to Heathrow from New York

This was the vacation of a lifetime ( we thought) for us. Turns out Rick has Northern Europe planned next for us. Norway, Iceland, Scottland, Ireland, England, Paris France and one other place.

He surprised me by throwing this vacation on the books. I knew Italy in 2012 but not this one.

I can't wait. We have so much to celebrate knowing that the bone cancer scare was just that only a scare as it was his mast cell. So, now I have many many many years left with this amazing man.

My soulmate and best friend

Europe here we come

CropStsop's Around the world card making blog hop

CropStop's "Around the World" Card Making Blog Hop!

Yes, we are doing it again!

In honor of World Card Making day, CropStop is hosting a progressive blog hop! Starting with the Cropstop Blog, you will visit each of the Cropstop Crew Member Blogs listed below and leave a comment on their creative project. Then, you will have one week to complete a project of your own, using one or more of the products featured in the CropStop Crew Member Blogs and link it in a reply box on the Cropstop Blog. Show us how you can mix and match the products the team is using in your project and if you don't have an item then show us your inventive side with a smart substitution. You do not have to use all the items the ladies are using but show us how creative you can be.
Deadline for linking to the CropStop's "Around the World" Card Making Blog Hop POST is Saturday, October 9th, at midnight Eastern time.

Winner will be chosen by random draw of all that participate and link to the CropStop Blog.
First prize is a $25.00 Gift Certificate to the CropStop Store.
Second and Third prizes will be a $10.00 Gift Certificate to the CropStop Store.

1. CropStop Blog - rules and guidelines http://cropstop.blogspot.com/ YOU ARE HERE!
2. Veronica/Tattered Angels http://artbyveronica.blogspot.com/
3. Dalis/Cricut http://www.stampergirl.com/
4. Lori/Sizzix http://frugalscrapper.blogspot.com/
5. Gloria/Tim Holtz http://gloriascraps.blogspot.com/
6. Lisa/Quickutz http://pop-dot-porcupine.blogspot.com/
7. Anneliese/ Cuttlebug http://www.queen-of-the-crop.blogspot.com/
8. Vicki/Spellbinder http://validationofvicki.blogspot.com/


WORLD CARD MAKING DAY...

World Card Making Day began in 2006 as National Card Making Day. Founded by Paper Crafts magazine to bring card makers together at the beginning of the busiest card-making season of the year, it was first held on October 7, 2006. The initial celebration involved the Paper Crafts magazine audience only; however, due to the positive response it received and the worldwide popularity of card making, the holiday became known as World Card Making Day from then on.

Celebrating its fifth year in 2010, World Card Making Day is celebrated annually on the first Saturday in October. It's a day for the card-making community -- hobbyists, retailers, and manufacturers -- to unite and celebrate the connection and creativity that is the heart of card making.

Make sure that you are part of this "Around the World" card making day by taking part in our CropStop, "Around the World" Blog Hop!!
Leave a comment for a chance to win blog candy. I am giving away a bottle of Tattered Angels glimmer mist and a Martha Stewart unmounted stamp set

Using Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist

For this ATC I used Glimmer mists Garden set. the gate is a mask from Tattered Angels. for the background I used Candlelight Glimmer mist and for the Cat I used Raven by Glimmer mist.

This tag I used tiger lilly glimmer mist and then used dazzling Diamonds Glimmer mist on the flower by prima. One of my favorites is using Tattered angels masks. This is from the garden set as well. I used Robins egg blue for the background. On the flowers I used Dazzling Diamonds

One of my favorites. This I used lemon zest glimmer mist and then over the top a coat of Dazzling Diamonds

They only get better

Now is the time if you have never stopped over to Patty's place. This is Lisa's altered Art and not my friend Patty that I talked about in a previous post. Patty has http://www.lisasalteredart.com/ which is a wonderful place where you can find digital art. Lisa is her daughter.

Just take a look at this one...and you will never belive the cost.... she has an amazing sale going on now... one dollar for a ton of ATC sheets and a sale where you can get ten sheets for only 13.00 of all her sheets. So, stop on over and get this amazing deal

A new camera is on the way

http://store.kodak.com/store/ekconsus/en_US/pd/productID.169771600

my everyday camera that I take pictures of my art with died tonight so Rick went online and bought me a new one. YAY thanks honey

Life after

After an amazing two weeks how does life go back to the same ole same ole. Well, it wasn't easy. It didn't help that I came home sick or that I had to go right back to work but I made it.
Rick has thousand of pictures posted on his blog of the vacation so hop on over and take a look.

Calling all fellow artists, bloggers and women...men too!

A dear sweet friend and a well known artist in the community of Michigan has lost her entire studio in a fire. Patti ( see her blog on the blog roll on the right hand side) had a fire and lost her entire studio.
Thank God no one was hurt. She has pictures and a story on her blog. Here is where you can help....... If you read her blog you will know she lost her teaching job this year to cut backs in Michigan and was forced to retire early.
Let's see what we can gather and send to her to help her get back into the swing of things.
I emailed her earlier tonight and asked her what she needed. She is a mixed media artist who was just starting out to supplement her retirement by selling mixed media on etsy.
I know she could use inks, paper, mixed media supplies etc. If you have anything you can send please let me know. I will let everyone here know how to get her the supplies either directly or I can collect and send to her. Now she hasn't told me yet what she needs but as soon as she does I will let everyone know.
She hasn't asked for a thing and this is totally a surprise for her........ she is living in a hotel now and doesn't even have a computer so I don't know when she may get back but as soon as I know I will be seeking out everyone's help.
Thanks in advance
veronica

Europe here we come

Monday we are leaving for two weeks to Europe. We will be in England, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Estonia, and Russia. House sitter arrives tomorrow to watch the house for us while we are gone.
Rick and I are so excited for this vacation. It has been a long six months, the new house, the new store, the move, etc.
Finally time to run away if only for two weeks. See everyone then

OH NO.... looks like we are leaving

Well, Earl is on his way here in the OBX. The residents have been told we will know tomorrow by noon if they are going to evacuate the island.
Rick and I were lucky and found a hotel two hours west. We learned from Isabelle to be prepared. Depending on how much damage is done we plan on coming back Friday night or Saturday.
That is if the military will let us back in. Guess they are on stand by too.
Please EARL go EAST leave us alone..... And to top it all off we are to be leaving Monday for Europe.
oiy vey

cropstop fall frolic

Cropstop is doing it again. Please join us for our annual Fall Frolic online crop and blog hop!
The crop will begin on Sept 1st and go through Sept 22nd with daily challenges posted by our creative team.
Participants will have until September 30th to complete and upload their projects in the Fall Frolic album in the Cropstop gallery.
Our creative team will be offering great challenges, games, make n take and prizes.
Visit their blogs during our fall frolic for a chance to win blog candy.
Please visit and register on the Cropstop.com forum/message board and in our Cropstop Gallery so you can participate in our Fall Frolic crop.
All guidelines and info can be found in the Fall Frolic online crop thread in the Cropstop Forum!!!!
My challenge is tomorrow 9/2 so come back........................ and join the message board.

The best ATC backgrounds EVER

you have to check out these atc backgrounds from www.lisasalteredart.com
only two bucks each and well worth the money. I can't wait to use these backgrounds hurry on over and pick up yours then leave me a message of what you made with them. I will then put them on the blog.

one dollar wednesday is darling

this week the dollar digi sheet is simply adorable. seriously where else can you get these cuties for a buck? seriously think about it. one dollar. so hurry on over and pick it up.
www.lisasalteredart.com

Blah Blah Blah

I have the blahs today. No that isn't true I have had the blahs for sometime now. I think I am just wishing vacation time would get here and fast.
Three weeks from this very day Rick and I will be on a plane heading to London England....
From there we are going to Dover to board the NCL Sun for a cruise around the Baltic Sea. Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Estonia, Russia just to name a few. I think there is two more places not sure.
This will be two full weeks of nothing but fun. No phones, no text messages, no nothing.......
It will be like a totally different world. If I could just get over the next three weeks and get over the blahs I would feel much better.

It is one dollar wednesday

okay now this one is just too cute.... you must buy this one for only a buck. make sure you tell Patty I sent you.
buy here

Strut your stuff

We have changed things up over at www.cropstop.com Now every design team member will do all areas not just their area of expertise. So, here is my very first try at a sketch.

The big 50 came in like a lion but went out like a lamb

My birthday was super quiet this year. Since moving to the outer banks of North Carolina I haven't made any friends here. I didn't let many people know it was my birthday until the day of my birthday so very few folks at work even knew it was yesterday.
Rick as always put money into my mad money account for my art supplies which by the way are never ending.
And of course we are taking the baltic sea cruise for our anniversary and my birthday..... but he always gave me this.
They are two books printed from his online journal ( blog) somewhere he found this online source that can take your blog and make it into a coffee table book. He had the first year of his blog made into two volumes. These are high quality books that are amazing.
The reason why he started his online blog was to write down his thoughts and feelings. Since finding out he has mast cell. We never know how long he has ( but then who does)
He wanted to make sure I wouldn't forget the fabulous time we have had together. I sobbed like a baby when I opened this.
Volume one is when we were in Canada and I caught my first muskie fish..... volume two is rick's favorite picture he took in alaska.
I have received pearls, diamonds, gems, high priced electronics and many more things from Rick for my birthday but these two books are the very best gifts I have ever received
if you want to ever read something that will bring tears to your eyes go read his blog...it is over there on the right hand side..... life through my eyes. ricks blog

The big day is tomorrow

This birthday is really a hard one for me. It means I have hit my golden years. 50......
Wow, if I am lucky I am 65% through with my life. I have lived now on the earth longer than I will going forward.
It is a really hard birthday. I didn't think this would be that hard. I always thought turning 50 would be a badge of honor but then I look at all these women in their 30's and 40's and I think slow down now for it comes quickly
Yes I am scared, yes I am dreading it and yes I know what the alternative would be....if I didn't turn 50. So, yes I know I should just shut my mouth and be happy that I am turning 50..... easier said than done.
So, if god allows tomorrow I will wake up at 4:45 a.m. head off to work and then it will hit me.......today I am 50.

Monthly ATC challenge at www.cropstop.com

Paris themed atc challenge. so come on over and join us at www.cropstop.com

A crown for a friend

Every month or so Patti and I will name a theme and then swap art. This month I named the theme and it was paper crowns. I used my cricut cupcake wrapper cartridge on number six and made this crown. Then I altered over it with Tim Holtz inks. I then stamped a varity of word stamps on the crown and added some embellishments.
Tons of Prima flowers and even a flower that I made using tim holtz tattered floral dies and glimmer mist
there are some surprises throughout the crown as well. On the back of the crown I used Tim Holtz paper tape to give it more support and a worn vintage look.
I hope she likes it as much as I loved making it.

One dollar digi sheet

Patty over at www.lisasalteredart.com has come up with another amazing sheet of ladies for only a buck. I used one today to make an ATC for my monthly challenge over at www.cropstop.com
Our theme for August will be Paris... so hurry and buy this sheet for only a dollar then stop on over to join the fun at cropstop. Our new challenge will be posted shortly for you to join. But until then get busy making those ATC's from Paris

An Artist is Born

I have a good friend in Michigan who was and is a fantastic teacher. She also has the most amazing talent ever. Recently, Michigan has decided to lay off some of their teachers and Patti was one of those teachers. Close to retirement so, they decided to make that decision for her.
( now that is another entry)
I have been trading art with Patti for about a year now maybe longer. She is amazing and every piece I have received from her has taken my breath away.
She has opened an ETSY store and you really need to check her out.
Patti's shop

I can honestly say every single piece of her art is worth the money spent. YOU HAVE TO CHECK it out

The Tickets Arrived TODAY

OH MY gosh, in just a few short weeks Rick and I will be heading over to Dover England to board the Norwegian Sun for a cruise through the Baltic Sea.
I am so very excited you have NO IDEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Our first stop is Copenhagen, Denmark then off to Berlin Germany. Once we are out of Germany we will arrive into Helsinki Finland for a day then onto Tallinn Estonia and another day in Stockholm Sweden before ending in RUSSIA!!!!
Then back to the boat to head back to Dover where we will board the airline and head home. 14 adventure, romantic, and all out exciting days with my wonderful husband.
What could be more wonderful? Last year many of you know that Rick and I renewed our vows at sea as well.
We love cruising and seeing so many great places.
Next year .................................... Italy and Ireland. 2012 it is all about PARIS baby

OH MY GOSH last night

everyone I missed last weeks one buck digi sheet at www.lisasalteredart.com so don't you miss out. Hurry hurry hurry it ends at midnight. only one buck for this sheet
just think of the altered art you could make with this.

One dollar digi sheet

If you love to make tags or ATC's you must have this digi sheet from Patty at http://www.lisasalteredart.com/

hurry on over and get this one now before Tuesday midnight because after Tuesday this will not be a buck.

It was a Tim Holtz Kinda Day

Last week I was away for the entire week on business. When I arrived home Rick said you have a package in your studio from cropstop. Friday night I was way too tired to even open it. Yesterday with a cup of coffee in one hand I ventured into my studio ( which by the way while I was gone Rick cleaned it up for me... Thanks honey) anyway I found the package and omg there was the Tim Holtz texture fade embossing templates that I pre ordered several months ago.
First thing I knew I had to do was to make tags. The texture fades are A2 size so you can basically if using more than one style make more than one tag. In this case I made two totally different tags.
One for a masculine type of feel ( love tag for Rick's love gift) and a Halloween tag.
I used many of Tim's elements in this tag. The bird cage die, typwriter keys, texture fades, brads, etc. The stamp is actually from 7 gypsies.

Here are the two tags side by side. For the Halloween tag I used Tim's rubberstamps, and of course his grungeboard as well as texture fades. All of Tim Holtz products used were purchased from http://www.cropstop.com/ and if you spend over 30 bucks and use my coupon code CUT you can save ten percent off. Hope you enjoy the tags...more art to come as I am working on a canvas for a friend across this great ocean out there.

A gift from a friend

Barbra Joan mailed me this and I love it. I was gone all last week on a business trip. I arrived home really late Friday night and found this. Thank you so much Barbra Joan I can't wait to try this recipe out. But even more than that I just love that it is hand painted by YOU.

Thank you

I think my favorite one dollar wednesday sheet ever

OH MY Gosh this has to be one of my favorite so far of any of www.lisasalteredart.com ever.
Stop on over today and pick up this beautiful digi sheet for just a buck. She nows has an entire selection of dollar digi sheets. YOU GOTTA check this out. http://www.lisasalteredart.com/onedollarsheets1.htm

Over at http://www.cropstop.com/ today was my day to post an ink and stamp inspired post.

I had recently received this sheet of Audrey Hepburn rubberstamps for Valentine's Day from Rick.

I love anything Audrey Hepburn always have and always will

enjoy

One dollar digi sheet

it is that time of the week again.
One dollar Wednesday!!! I love the little one in the middle too cute.
www.lisasalteredart.com

What do you get when you cross Tim Holtz and a Blonde Bombshell?

This!!!!!

Thursday is Rick's Birthday and I wanted to make him a card. This gift was calling for something other than a card. So, I took a tag, covered it with Graphic 45 paper then added some of Tim Holt'z photo reel tape, grunge board letters, wings and crowns, Tim's distressed stickles and inks, I get all my supplies of Tim's from http://www.cropstop.com/





I then added my favorite bombshell from http://www.bombshellstamps.com/
They have this really cool svg file for clothing for this stamp that I plan on buying when the magic fairy puts more money in my paypal account... lol
Oh the saying stamp..... I have no idea where it came from as I have had it for awhile. The birthday greetings are a set I got for a buck at Michaels or Acmoore.
Enjoy

One dollar digi sheet

www.lisasalteredart.com has one dollar digi wednesday so hurry on over before this wednesday changes.

June 17th cropstop altered art challenge

Today is my day to post a challenge and of course mine will be altered art. I was shopping in the Dollar Tree store and found these word cutouts for only a dollar of course. I knew right off I would altered these using papers and embellishments.

I first painted the entire word, then used torn papers and mod podge to adhere the paper to the word. Once that was done I took Tim Holtz's distressed ink old paper and gave it a worn vintage look. Once it dried I used some embellishments I had and here it is.

Now head on over to cropstop.com or to http://www.cropstop.blogspot.com/ and join in the fun.

My altered fiber challenge for cropstop

This week Vicki had a challenge using fibers. I made this canvas for the challenge. I used Brenda Walton for K and Company papers, Prima flowers, images from collage art and chipboard images.