Bridgitte's Blog Candy!

Bridgette is celebrating a year! AND she is celebrating with style!!!! She is giving away a $50 gift voucher to Simon Says Stamps! This is what she says on her blog...

Since it's a special occasion, I have something to give.  I will draw a $50 US gift certificate from Simon Says Stamps!  The only rule is to be a follower and leave a comment under this post.  If you want an extra chance, you can put a post on your blog about my blog candy.  Just let me know in your comment.  The deadline is Friday the 7 Oct at midnight Eastern time.




Be sure and go by there and help her celebrate!


*Jos*

The Cat's Meow

Two things in life are just irresistible .... kittens and Halloween! Ok, Ok, so there are three things... kittens, Halloween & chocolate! :) That is what made this Mo Manning design too darn cute to pass up!

So this card was made while our own little fur babies, Boomer and Bizzy, milled around at our feet and jumped up onto the crafting table just to check things out.... or to take a nap.... or to bathe.... or to chase the ribbon!

*Jos*

I plan to enter this card into the following challenges:

The Paper Players - Challenge #65 - "Ann Marie's Sketch"

Simon Says Stamps - Anything Goes

Repeat Impressions - DCC 928 - Designer's Choice Challenge

I Won! I Won!

Yaaaaay! My "Cheers!" card was picked one of the top 5 over at Just Us Girls! WOOT WOOT!

Thank you so much to the Design Team ladies for stopping in and leaving such encouraging and wonderful comments! :)

Hugs to the JUGS!

*Jos*

Rock On!

We took our first cruise in 2010 and it was fabulous! I was working in a school at the time and had a week off during spring and we thought it would be wonderful to take a cruise.  So we booked our cabin and traveled to Florida to catch our boat.  It never occurred to me that the week that we were out of school is what is referred to as SPRING BREAK! What was I thinking?  So... we boarded the beautiful ship with about 1300 Spring Breakers!

The cruise was incredible and we had an awesome time! For most of the week, we didn't even realize that the boat was filled with teenagers... the napkin folding classes, 80's trivia game, 70's karaoke night, and the casino were mostly empty.  The BINGO games were even very relaxing! What were these kids doing the whole time? They were missing all of the fun for sure! Anyway, we won 3 out of the 4 on board bingo games, won cash prizes and some lovely size medium Royal Bingo tee shirts.  We tried squeezing the MEDIUM-sized shirts on our XXX torsos and laughed hysterically. in the privacy of our little cabin of course.  We also hit a nice jackpot at the Atlantis Casino. We had such an incredible time that when we returned to land and arrived home we went and booked our next cruise!

We asked the booking agent to book us on board with a cruise line with a little more "mature" crowd. She did just that and in December of that same year, we headed back to Florida and set sail once again! Just like last time, I realized immediately we may have over looked something.  We felt very comfortable with the group and enjoyed their company very much; however, this older, richer crowd LIVED in the casino constantly... showed up to every karaoke, whipped our tales at 60's and 70's trivia, and never missed a game of Bingo! :)

These "Hover Rounders" drove around with mixed drinks sloshing around in their one hand and steering with the other! We had a blast listening to "Crazy" by Patsy Cline, EVERY night, and by several different ladies! It was then and there that we determined when we are eighty-something and singing karaoke, we will be like this card ... singing a Meatloaf song like we don't care who is listening and we won't hear them laughing at us any way! Rock On!

*Jos*

I love this stamp from La Pashe called, "Bat Outta Hell."

I colored it with Prisma colored pencils and blinged it up a little some stickler and embellishments. 

This card will be entered into the following challenges:

Sweet Stampin Challenge Blog - "Anything Goes at Sweet Stampin"

Prairie Fairy Friday's - Challenge #62 - "Pink & Distressed"

The Bigger ... The Better!

Every year around the middle of September we start looking for the local Farmer's Market to pop up with rows and rows of pumpkins and gorgeous mums! Sometimes they run a week or so late setting up and we fret about them not showing up this season, but with out fail they pop up with pumpkins in more shapes and sizes than we remember from the previous year and in colors as varied and vibrant as ever!

So this weekend, while the temperatures are feeling seasonal and cool we are going to go to the market and pull our little red wagons around and fill them pumpkins and gourds and corn stalks and mums!  We normally try to be reasonable about the size of our pumpkins ... sometimes we fail miserably and end up with a ridiculously big pumpkin that sticks out like a sore thumb when we set up our little display in the yard! Oh well... there are those times when bigger is definitely better!

~Michele~

This is a Mo Manning Digital Stamp called, "The Big One." I colored this cutie with Copic markers.

This card will be entered into the following challenges:

Mo's Challenge Blog - Challenge #101 - "Autumn Colors"

Bling It On - Challenge #7 - "Weaving"

Delightful Sketches - "Happy Fall Y'all"

Crafting For All Seasons - Challenge #10 - "Fall Colors"

Crafts 4 Eternity - Recipe #38 - "Autumn Days"

Crafty Catz - Challenge #101 - "Autumn"

Just Some Lines - "Fall Color Challenge"

Paper Pretties Monday Challenge - "Fall Inspired"

A Million Mile Hug

My phone rang Sunday morning and the caller ID let me know that it was Kim, the mother of my beautiful niece Savannah and my twin niece and nephew Haylee and Wesley.  They live in the gorgeous state of Alaska and most of the time it feels like a million miles away from North Carolina, but sometimes when they call and I hear their sweet little voices on the phone, it feels as though they are right next to me! I answered the call in anticipation of one of those moments, but one of those moments didn't happen. Instead I heard Kim's voice trembling and obviously crying, my heart sank to my toes, and I told her to take her time and tell me what was wrong.  When she could finally get it out, she told me that her mother had passed away. My heart remained sunken and I was speechless. I hated the million miles between us and I hated the phone ... what I wanted was to be able to wrap my arms around her and cry with her!

Colleen VanHatten was a lovely woman! She was an incredible mother and extraordinary grandmother! I know that the loss that her family will be feeling can only be mended by thoughts, prayers and time. May your heart be filled with peace, your soul filled with hope for a reunion, your mind filled with memories, and your arms filled with the blessings of the future!

Hugs and Love!
~Michele~

This stamp set is from Stampendous, it is called "Flutterfly Friends Perfectly Clear Stamps."

I colored the images with Copic markers on X-Pressit paper and mounted on Hibiscus Burst 

and Aqua Mist Perfect Match Paper from PaperTrey Ink.

I used Viva Decor to embellish and add a little pizazz to the black.

This card is being entered into the following challenges:

Card Makin' Mama's - Punchy Challenge

Craft Us Crazy - Challenge #17 - "Good Bye to Summer"

Phindy's Friday Challenge Blog - Challenge #73

Do You Stack Up? - Challenge #38 - "Duo"

Bugaboo Stamps - Catch the Bug - Sketch & Color Challenge

Slow Down!

If I could give my younger self one piece of advice it would be to slow down and enjoy life! To do the things that you want to do, while you are young enough and still dumb enough to do them! What's the rush? Enjoy the moment while you are in the moment!

*Jos*

 This cute little turtle was a free download from,
 Digital Doodling called, "Sleepy Toto the Turtle."

 I colored him with Prisma colored pencils.

This card is being entered into the following challenges:

One Stop Craft Challenge - Week #150 "Easel Cards"

Stamp Insanity Challenge #76 - "Photo au Mojo"

These cool pictures were the inspiration.

Paper Cutz Challenge #110 - "Button Up For Fall"

Fussy & Fancy Challenge - "Try a New Technique"

This is my first easel card!

Stampin' For The Weekend - "What a Cutie!"

Another Mystery Solved!

Aren't scarecrows supposed to SCARE crows away???

Why is it that every time you see a scarecrow there is always a crow right there? Not only that, but the scarecrow seems pleased and happy that the old crow is around! I can't say that I blame him! Who wants to be stuck in a field all alone with mice and all kinds vermin running about around you? Can you imagine the stories those scarecrows could tell if only someone would listen! ... Some one IS listening, there is always something to CROW about! :) Ah Ha! Another mystery solved!

*Jos*

This is a Great Impressions wood mounted stamp. 

I colored it with Prisma colored pencils.

This card is being entered into the following challenges:

Tuesday Throwdown #67 - "Fall"

The Play Date Cafe - Challenge 100

This was their inspiration for color this week... Gorgeous, huh?

4 Crafty Chicks - Challenge #56  "Celebrating Fall"

Bunny Zoe's Crafts - Challenge #16

Card Cupids Challenge #38 - "Fall Theme"

Colorless Me

I love color! I had no idea how much I loved color until I was challenged not to use it!

It's a very odd thing for me, I consider myself very much a black and white kind of person.  There is right and wrong, good and bad, yin and yang, yes and no, it's all very black and white to me, no shades of gray there.

Then I look around my world, the things that I surround myself with, FULL of color! That is the place that I go to when I am using my Copic markers. I very rarely use that black and white side of my personality when coloring an image, to pull out that serious part of me and attempt to put it into my crafty creative time..... VERY DIFFICULT! I am proud of what came of it!

~Michele~

This is a Mo Manning stamp called,"Flower Girl."

She is colored with Copic Sketch markers.

This card is being entered into the following challenges:

The Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge - Sketch #127

Little Claire's Challenge #13 - Black & White Theme

Color Me Creative - "Olde Tyme Photo" Challenge

Bearly Mine Challenge #19 - "Button it Up"

Fab 'n' Funky Challenge #19 - "A Hard Theme"

Anything Goes Challenge Blog - Challenge #50

Village Friendship

We just couldn't resist this amazing little piece of art work from Lili of the Valley! Anything with two girls at a coffee table or drinking tea always brings us back to the day we met....

Michele and I became fast friends at The Village Coffee shop! She was taking a Sign Language class at the time and I was a friend of her instructor. Their class had decided to meet at the coffee shop that evening instead of the regular class room so that they would have an opportunity to interact with other people who signed and to get a little practice in. We were immediately drawn to one another's quick wit, easy laughter, and love of Signing.  So the story goes... best friends are made over a cup of coffee! ... Just one cup of coffee though... Michele doesn't drink it and never has! Her cup is always filled with crushed ice and a splash of Mt. Dew! :)

~Michele~

Michele colored this Lili of the Valley stamp, "Coffee Break" 

with Copic Markers.

The card will be entered into the following challenges:

Kaboodle Doodles Challenge Blog - Lots of Layers - Challenge #85

Simon Says Stamp Challenge Blog - Dies to Die For

The Shabby Tea Room - Week 80 - Vintage White

Di's Digi Design Challenge - First Challenge - Anything Goes

Color Me Creative - "Olde Tyme Photo" 

Something to Cackle About!

Before every corner church in the Bible belt had "Fall Fesivals" or "Trunk or Treat," they had nothing. Before they had nothing they had Halloween parties... complete with haunted houses full of screaming children and make-up covered Sunday School teachers. I am 38 years old now and I remember these Halloween parties. I remember the jar full of olives that were displayed in scary jars and labeled, "witch's eye balls" and for the other jar... we had to be blindfolded to put our hand into so that they could convince us that some concoction they had mixed together were the brains of some monster! The last part of the haunted house was a coffin, and in that coffin lay a vampire, gray green skin, dark receding hair, and fangs that protruded slightly down his bottom lip, even with his mouth closed. He held a full size candy bar held in his hands that were folded across his abdomen, a FULL SIZE candy bar! Our last task to exit the haunted place was to pry the candy bar from the hands of the dead vampire! I was scared to death! But... it was a FULL SIZE candy bar! So I inched up to the coffin with my arm streched out as far as it could possibly reach until I could barely get my finger tips around enough of the top of that candy to grab it and run! That was the plan anyway. I pulled the bar out as quickly as I could but instead of it coming out, as soon as the vampire felt the bar move, he sat upright in the coffin and flung his blood shot eyes open and bared his fangs at me! I stood in place frozen and screaming! It didn't matter that i knew it was my Dad! That was some scary business.

My mom always played the witch in the haunted house! She would practice her cackle for the entire month of October. It would send chills up and down your spine whether she was in costume or not! For years after the church stopped supporting Halloween activities and stopped endorsing our Sunday School teachers and parents scaring the bejesus out of us ... my mom would still cackle at Halloween! When it was just the two of us and no one was around to hear her, I could convince her to cackle loud and proud! Oh but if those church ladies found out! :) I can promise you it would have been Sunday night's sermon at her church!

I would give anything for just one more cackle!

I colored this Mo Manning Digital stamp entitled, "Witch of the West" with Prisma color pencils.

The card will be entered into the following challenges:

Pink Ink Sketch Challenges - Chalenge #6 Kylie's Sketch

Cup Cake Craft Challenge - The Dark Side 

Boo! HeHe

What is better than a hair-raising little creature that makes you giggle? Two of them! (insert laughter here) :)

This card was for nothing other than absolute self indulgent FUN! I saw the challenge over at Copic Creations, "Coloring Fur With a Twist," as well as the Paper Cutz Challenge "Caution - Ghost Crossing" using only the colors black, white, purple, and orange.  It didn't take me long to realize that I didn't have an adorable bear that fit was I was looking for so I hopped over to the Stamp Fairy and downloaded a few. I had a blast coloring up these wonderful digi's making them fit into the challenges! If you haven't had the opportunity to join in the fun, please go by and join them! I am sure that you will have as much fun as we are! Oh... and don't forget to go shopping at the Stamp Fairy!

Doctor Hearty!

Ok, so her real name is Doctor Hardy, but wow, does she have heart!

I am an American Sign Language interpreter and I can't tell you how many times I have encountered physicians and medical professionals that ask, "can't they ready lips?" My response is normally very polite and includes and explanation of ASL, Deafness and the statistical success of lipreading. However, inside I am screaming... "Maybe they can read your lips... they means they can understand you a little... BUT can you read their hands?" After all, aren't they the patient? Aren't they here to tell you what ails them so that you can assess the situation and make a recommendation for treatment?

Doctor Hardy is incredible! I don't think it has ever occurred to her to ask such silly questions or to attempt to write back and forth! It seems to me that her thinking process is pretty simple...

I have a Deaf patient...
I don't sign...
They aren't verbal...
I need an interpreter!

Voila!
Brilliant isn't it!

If that were the only thing that made Dr. Hardy stand out, she would be incredible.  BUT, it doesn't stop there! She actually takes the time to explain to the patients in plain and clear terms everything that they need to know! For example, those graphic little models that sit around the exam rooms, the intestines, the brain, the lungs, the spine... she actually uses those! She picks her hands up and tries to describe what things look like! One time she even told me to turn around and started explaining things about the spine, with MY spine, I was signing one handed over my shoulder! She got her point across, and that is all that matters! All that matters to the patients, all that matters to me, and all that matters to her!

So, I am sending smiles to Doctor Hardy because she deserves tons of them!

This stamp is from the Mo Manning collection and is called, "Luv Ya Tomorrow."

This card will be entered into the following challenges...
Lily Pad "Hero Arts Presents" - A Sketch Challenge
Moxie Fab World - Tuesday Trigger - "Delightfully Random."

No Wonder She is Cranky!

DISCLAIMER! ... I love my skinny friends and this story is one that we laugh about now and have laughed about many times over the years. It is all in good fun! 

You may not see it but there is a lot going on in this picture! I have an entire story in my head! :)

These two aren't sisters! They look nothing alike, they don't even have one parent in common. They are best friends! It's obvious! Every skinny girl has to have at least one chunky best friend! I know these things, I am the chunky best friend! :) What skinny girl in her right mind would go out on the town with another skinny girl competing with her for the fellas? On nights like that, you invite me (the frumpy friend!) Please don't misunderstand me, us chunky girls completely understand and comply, it's ok! ... But for heaven sake, the friend in this picture has just taken it way too far! having her carry her lollipop AND a frog! WOW! Now that's a new low! We have our limits and that's just way over the line! No wonder she is cranky! 

This is a Mo Manning digital stamp called, "Stepsisters."

This card is being entered into the following challenges:

I heart 2 Stamp - Sketch For You To Try 

Mojo Monday - Sketch #207

Aly's Sunday Challenge - Bow's

Digital Tuesday - Challenge #129 "People Image"

Cheers!

There are those occasions in life that start out devastating and end up worthy of a celebration!

DIVORCE is often one of those occasions!

Finding out about "the other woman"... heartbreaking!

Finding yourself raising your children alone ... scary! 

Finding out about the lies ... humiliating!

Finding out that you are more than enough without him...

Finding yourself rising to the challenge ...

Finding YOURSELF again ...

Priceless! 

Cheers to you Amy!

This card is being entered into the following challenges:

Card Positioning Systems - Sketch Challenge 236 Part 1

Just Us Girls #102 - Color Challenge.

Sorry for your Loss

In my experience there aren't many words that can console a person while they are grieving the loss of someone that they love. Yet I still visit, make phone calls and send cards, not because I think that there is any thing that I can say to ease the pain, but I am convinced that "doing" something will let them know that they are being thought of.  Sending thoughts and prayers to the Maki family!

This beautiful lily digital stamp is a Tiffany Doodles called, "Lily Stems - Oval."

This card is being entered into The Paper Players -

 Challenge #64 "Ann's CAS Theme Animals or Plants.

Dear Henry,

You are indeed "da man!" Thank you so much for making time in your busy schedule this time and so many other times to be sure that my niece, Jordan, has a safe vehicle to drive! You and CiCi have always been so wonderful to her and I have never said thank you! I want you to know that, although I have been remiss about saying it, I have a heart felt and deep appreciation for everything the two of you have done for her! She thinks very highly of you both and for good reason! Please accept my apology for not expressing it any sooner but thank you! Thank you! 

Big Hugs & Warm Thoughts,

Josee' 

This is Wee Henry "Hero" digi stamp from Hambo Stamps.

Henry is being entered into the following challenges:

The Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge 126 "Sketch with a Spin: Starstruck"

The Color Throwdown Challenge # 159

Go Girl!

Some cards are just for the fun of it! :) The kind you do just to have filed away so that when the perfect occasion pops up, it is ready and right on hand! I saw this stamp over at Mo Manning's Digital Pencil and just couldn't help myself. I had to have it and I had to color it!

My girlfriends amaze me sometimes! The things that they do every day and just consider it everyday "business" should really be applauded and celebrated.

My friend that wakes up early in the morning to prepare breakfast for her two year old, gets him cleaned up and dressed, and heads out the door to grandma's house while making sure her own clothes aren't on inside out and that her hair and make-up is in place amazes me! Working a full eight hour day and then heading to night school for 5 hours each weeknight amazes me! For my single friends, who have picked up the pace and made a better life for themselves in spite of their circumstances! ... Go Girl!

My friend that knew at a young age what she wanted to do, pursued it, and remained dedicated for 31 years amazes me! Here is to 31 years of state service and the beginning of another post retirement career that awaits her! ... Go Girl! 

For my friend that carries a gun on her hip and wears high heeled shoes while visiting her clients, domestic violence probationers, you amaze me! You make it seem "easy" to work a full-time job, play on a semi-professional women's football team, and raise a five year old daughter! ... alone! ... Go Girl!

For the friends that mow lawns, fix plumbing issues, attend PTA meetings, and schedule SKYPE meetings to talk to their heroes stationed in Afghanistan, you amaze me! ... Go Girl!

For my friend who wears a camouflage uniform and dress green and does more before 5am than most of us do in a full day, you amaze! ... Go Girl!

For the Deaf women who are working careers, raising babies, and navigating the world in silence and accomplishing more than most of us would ever attempt, you amaze me! ... Go Girl! 

Every woman has her story.  I enjoy hearing them! 

I am proud to call all of you my friends and I celebrate each of you! 

GO GIRLS!

This is a Mo Manning stamp entitled, "On the Pot."

Mo's Challenges is celebrating 100 challenges!

 Please be sure to stop by their site and celebrate with them! 

We are entering this card in the challenge! 

This is also being entered into the Card Patterns Sketch #133.

Click Clack

I know why witches have brooms! There is no woman on the face of the Earth, nor in the underworld, nor in the atmosphere that is going to take a chance of messing up shoes as cute as these! Not only that, but how would these band of witchy friends ever manage to sneak up and do any dastardly deed incognito with all the click clacking these shoes would create! What about speed? I would imagine that any good witch would need a certain amount of running speed to do wicked tasks. How in the world would you get any speed in these shoes?  SO THERE! THE MYSTERY HAS BEEN SOLVED! Witches fly on brooms because they are women ... who care about their shoes!

This stamp is a Tara Reed Designs stamp called, "Witches Shoes."

This card will be entered into The Moxie Fab World, "Vertical Challenge."

Stop by there and check out their FAB sketches and play along!

The Measure of Friends

We had a dog named Ginger when I was growing up. I am the baby of 3. I have two older brothers and Ginger was there before I ever came along! So Ginger didn't really belong to me, I belonged to her. She got me into plenty of trouble and kept me out of plenty more! Ginger was my friend. She is the measuring stick that I have always used to measure a true friend by!

This is a Mo Manning Digital Design called, "My Friend." 

I was excited to use my brand new Papertreyink card stock. 

It is being entered into two challenges:

Glitter Geeks Week 15 - "In the Garden" 

Fresh Brewed Designs - Freshly Brewed Challenges #63 "Something New"

Man oh Man!

Making a birthday card for a man can be difficult! For that matter so is buying a birthday gift for a man or a Chritstmas present, or finding the right screw driver to deliver when they are working on something! I suppose there is no reason that a birthday card would be any different! There are a few safe bets in our families though, but man oh man, has it taken years to figure out!

Anything fishing related is a hit! If they are sports fans, ANYTHING with their team on it will do, tissue box covers, towels, flower pots, tooth brushes, tee shirts, shoes, toilet seats... it doesn't matter! Men that have a "team" don't actually know that they don't play for that team and won't be compensated for buying everything with their teams mascot or colors. You wouldn't believe the ridiculous Carolina blue things I have laid eyes on, but if you have ever met a Carolina fan, you can surely imagine!

We figured if we apply these same rules to the cards for men we would be safe! Anything fishing, and anything that goes with their team! This rule of thumb won't be helpful when searching for the right screwdriver, but it might make that masculine card making a little less frustrating!

This is my brand new stamp from Lili of the Valley called, "Gone Fishing."

It can be found in the "Boys'" category. 

This card is being entered into The Stamping Boutique Birthday Challenge.

It is also being entered into Shelly's Images Blog "Anything Goes" Challenge

 and the Fresh Brewed Designs, Freshly Brewed Challenges #63, "Something New."