4CC #409 Summer Twist

It's Thursday!

Time for a new challenge at 4 Crafty Chicks!

Lori is our fabulous hostess this week.

She's looking for a Summer Twist, 

if you so choose to play in our optional twist!

4CC #409 Summer Twist

It's officially summertime in the Northern Hemisphere and I know most are thrilled.  I'm always about 50-50 thrilled living in the south where by this time we are stinking hot, sticky and muggy. The window for non-profuse sweating is small --- early morning (we're talking 5:30 or 6 am) and late evening (after 8 pm), but even that's not a given. Yet, I do love my flip flops, sandals and shorts!  And cookouts!  And sipping margaritas on the deck!   I just enjoy all of those things more in late September, or October, or even November. 

Be sure and stop by the Hen House and see all the other Chicks' summery creations.  Then, pour a glass of cold iced sweet tea or lemonade and play along with us, either whatever your heart desires since we are always "anything goes" or something summery and join our twist!

Card Supplies:
STAMPS: Sentiment - Surf's Up (Paper Sweeties).
PAPER: White cardstock, 110 lb (Neenah); Mint green (Stash); Black striped DP (Catherine Pooler Designs); Bright pink, bight green (Stash); Black- (Bazzill).
INK: Versafine Black Onyx.
EXTRAS:  Flip Flop die (Lil Inker Designs); Wave emboss folder (Stampin' Up); Rectangle die (Spellbinders).

For Following Challenges:

Crafty Chick Blessings!  

Girls Just Want To Have Sun!

Good Morning!

So I can't believe I'm posting yet another card this week. I can't believe I made five cards in one day this past weekend.  WHEW!  Things are going a little slower here for now.  The youngest is now somewhat settled for the summer over in California and I'm somewhat back on East Coast time.  We've got a few weeks lull before we have a very productive staycation to finish up some home projects.  So I'm hoping to relax a little more, do more reading and more crafting until then.

I had to make some DT cards this weekend and as always, once I came up with an idea, several ideas began to flow so I started cutting and stamping and then wound up having to choose one over another.  So this is one that lost out for a DT card but not because it's any less qualified, I just liked the other better.  So this one is being shared now.  

Card Supplies:
STAMPS: Sentiment - Aloha (Paper Sweeties).
PAPER: White cardstock (Neenah 110 lb); Mint green, bright pink, bright green- (stash); Silver foil cardstock (Stampin' Up); Striped DP -Black Tie Gala (Catherine Pooler).
INK: Be Mine (Catherine Pooler Inks).
EXTRAS: Sunglass die - (Paper Smooches); Wave emboss folder (Stampin' Up). Heart die (Lil Inker Designs).

For Following Challenges:

Time Out Challenges #112

Summer Blessings!

"Creative people are curious, flexible, persistent and independent with a tremendous spirit of adventure and a love of play." Henri Matisse

Stamping For Families Blog Hop

"A foreigner is a friend I have yet to meet."  

Pearl S. Buck

Some of my crafty friends were commiserating this past week on our heartbreak and feelings of helplessness and frustration over the plight of the families being separated at our borders.  So several of them formed a blog hop as a way for us to cope and also raise awareness and compassion for the situation.

Please note: my post and this blog hop is for providing awareness, love, compassion, not to discuss/debate politics, parties or set blame.  

Two weeks ago, I took a 10 day trip across the country with my son, who moved from North Carolina to California. I already miss him.  It is not lost on me how incredibly fortunate my family and I are to have been born in this country that allows us many freedoms that some across the globe do not have. I don't know the feeling of being so fearful for my family's lives and survival in a war torn country or country whose government commits violence against its citizens.  I don't know the feeling of choosing to leave my home country and flee to another country and be at the mercy of strangers. However, I am sure some of my ancestors did, as did many of Americans' ancestors.  I also cannot imagine after arriving in a safe place to then be treated as the families have been treated.  Parents separated from their children and not knowing when and if they will be reunited again, all because of their basic human desire for survival and life away from violence.

If you feel powerless, heartbroken, frustrated at how our friends from the south are being treated at our borders, there are several things you can do.  

1) Hug and appreciate your family a little more.

2) Use your creativity to spread love and kindness to someone special or even to a stranger.  

3) Practice RAOK.  BE KIND.  BE CARING. BE COMPASSIONATE.  Not just towards those just like you but especially to those who are not, including immigrants, legal or not, to every human you encounter.  That is what God demands of all of us.  

4) Donate money to the Reunification Fund by RAICES, The Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services, a nonprofit.  Or donate to one of the many other organizations devoted to helping those families detained.

5)Call your US Senators at (202) 224-3121 and ask them to support SB3036, The "Keep Families Together Act".

And lastly, you can create a card for someone and link it up with our hop!

I used the Hero Arts set, Family Portrait for the images in the heart.  The sentiments are all from Lil Inker Designs set, One Love.  I used three sentiments because they all speak volumes right now and I just couldn't choose.  My family is in no way a statement of what a family is.  There are many kinds of families and there is no one "right" kind.

Be sure and check out all the blogs below:

An InLinkz Link-up

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” 

Matthew 25:35

Family Always Blessings!

Keeping Christmas Inspiration Hop - June 2018

Good Morning Monday!

It's June 25th so that means a 

Keeping Christmas Inspirational Blog Hop!

Every month on the 25th we share Christmas cards to help spark some holiday creativity throughout the year, so that by

the time the Christmas holiday is here we have some cards or tags or gift card holders or bags all ready in our stash.

I inadvertently missed the past couple months.  It's been a hectic few months here at the Salkeld abode. We have been cleaning out and purging stuff in preparation for our son moving all of his things back in, including his dog!  His lease was up at his rental home and he made a life changing decision to move out west.  LOL .  So on top of trying to do finish some small renovating projects, we accumulated all of his furniture and stuff.  Then, he packed up what he could in his car and he and I drove from NC to CA.  I went to keep him company and have a little mom/son adventure.   It took six days, stopping here and there.  Then, I spent three days with him and his girlfriend in Ojai, CA, his new town (for the summer at least).  I flew back on the red eye last Monday and I still don't have m East Coast legs.  Sometime in the next 4-10 months the Hubs and I will have to make that drive west again to deliver his dog and more belongings to him.  Right now I hope it's longer than four months.  lol

But I digress, here are my Christmas cards ---

About a month ago, the CAS Christmas Team had a little craft retreat and since Bonnie Klass and I could not join the others in Canada, we Skyped with them from Bonnie's house.  During that time, Bonnie and I tried our hand at acrylic paint pour (dirty pour).  We mostly used small 5x7 and smaller canvases, but also tried some canvas and acrylic papers.  

Some of my papers looked a lot like ocean water (the blue and the purple) and since it's almost July, I thought a little beachy Christmas would be fun.  They turned out better than I first thought, considering the background is acrylic paint. 

I began by cutting all my pieces, backgrounds and sand dollar die all at once to save time.  The J and Y are stamps so I heat embossed the letters with Versamark and white emboss powder. I had to be careful because reheating the backgrounds could cause the white acrylic paint to heat up and emerge from underneath the other paint colors, which it did at one end of the purple one.  The embossing I did a couple times the went over it with a white Sharpie pen to cover up some of the holes. I doubled up the sand dollar on each one for more interest.  Seeing as how I already had the backgrounds made, these cards were very easy and quick to make.

Now come and hop along with us and visit each team member's blog below for some festive holiday cheer and inspiration. 

Kelly Lunceford

Lesley Croghan

Anita Madden

Broni Holcombe

Claire Broadwater

Julee Tilman

Kim Heggins

Lori Tecler

Nance Salkeld (You are HERE!)

Nina Forsyth

Rachel Bergfeld

Vicki Finger

Card Supplies:

STAMPS: Letters J and Y -Joy To The World (Papertrey Ink).

PAPER: Neenah Solar Crest 110 lb white cardstock; acrylic paper (Strathmore); canvas paper (Strathmore).

INK: Versamark; Various acrylic paints.

EXTRAS: White emboss powder (WOW); Postage stamp dies (Catherine Pooler Designs); Sand Dollar Die (Reverse Confetti); colored gems.

Keeping Christmas Blessings!

4CC #407 Dry Embossing Delight Twist

Happy Thursday!

Time for a new challenge at 

4 Crafty Chicks!

Amy is our hostess this week.

The Twist is Dry Embossing!

4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #408 Dry Embossing Twist

I needed a thank you card for my son's girlfriend and roommate to thank them for allowing me to stay at their apartment over the weekend after driving across the country from North Carolina to California with my son who is temporarily moving in with them.

I started my card off with the alcohol inked background and used a diamond embossing folder by Spellbinders with my Big Shot.  I love the way it turned out! I then used the stamp and die set, No One Else by WPlus9.

Stop by the Hen House and check out the rest of the Chicks' projects.  And then come play with our challenge, either our always Anything Goes or try out our Dry Emboss Twist, your choice!

Card Supplies:

STAMPS: No One Else (WPlus9).

PAPER: Turquoise cardstock; Yupo paper; Neenah white cardstock; Silver foil cardstock (Stampin' Up); black craft foam.

INK: Versamark; Sweet Sixteen, Pixie Dust (Catherine Pooler Inks).

EXTRAS: Word and flower dies - No One Else (WPlus9); Wonky Triangle Emboss Folder (Spellbinders); Stitched Rectangle die (Lil Inker Designs); Silver Emboss powder (Stampin' Up).

Crafty Chick Blessings!

CAS Christmas - Masculine Reminder

Happy Sunday!

It's the middle of the month and so a little reminder that the 

June CAS Christmas Challenge is still happening!

Christine has been our hostess this month.

The theme is Masculine Christmas cards.  

You have until June 24th to play along with us!

CAS Christmas Blessings!

Paper Sweeties June Release Rewind!

It's the weekend! YAY!

It's also the last day of Paper Sweeties' Release week.

Our youngest son just moved from North Carolina to California this week.  I made him a goodbye card from the Home/Garden Treat box set.  I used the "brick" stamp to make the background.  I cut out a red door because our front door is red.  I'm actually on the road with him, a little mom/son roadtrip with some sight seeing stops along the way.

The Design Team is showcasing their final projects using this month's Release stamp/die set: Home/Garden set.

Debbie Marcinkiewicz – Paper Sweeties
Jinny Newlin
Karen Letchworth

Kathy Schweinfurth

Larissa Heskett
Lisa Bzibziak
Mackie Robertson 

Maria Patrick

Michelle Bala
Nancy Salkeld (You are HERE!)


Until next month...

Paper Sweeties Blessings!

Paper Sweeties June Release Party!

TGIF!

Happy Friday!

It's also Release Day 
at 
Paper Sweeties!

Since it's summertime here in the Northern Hemisphere, I decided to create a little "tropical" community of houses using the new House/Garden Stamp set and coordinating Sweet Cuts.

Be sure and hop through the rest of the team below to see their Release projects as well:

Debbie Marcinkiewicz – Paper Sweeties
Jinny Newlin
Karen Letchworth

Kathy Schweinfurth

Larissa Heskett
Lisa Bzibziak
Mackie Robertson 

Maria Patrick

Michelle Bala
Nancy Salkeld (You are HERE!)

The new Stamp and Sweet Cuts sets are now available in the Paper Sweeties Shop!  Go check it out.  Come back tomorrow for the final day of Release week.

Paper Sweeties Blessings!

4CC #407 Birds N' BloomTwist

Happy Thursday!

Time for a new challenge at

4 Crafty Chicks!

I'm your hostess for this week!

This week's twist is Birds and Blooms.  

Choose one or the other or both or play in our always "anything goes"!  Your choice!

4 Crafty Chicks #407 Birds and Bloom

Last Saturday was my husband's and my 28th wedding anniversary.  He's a bird freak so I decided to make this card for him.  

It has been a hectic last few weeks with moving our son's furniture, belongings and dog back to our house as he prepared to move from NC to CA (furniture and dog not going with him just yet).  I am road tripping with him to keep him company on the six day cross country drive.  I did manage to watercolor this for the Hubs though using a water brush and my Zigs.  

Stop by the Hen House and see what the other Chicks have created, always so beautiful!  Then, come join us and play the twist or just our ATG regular challenge.

Card Supplies:

STAMP: Bird image - Robin 2 Flower Branch (Elizabeth Crafts); Sentiment - Stampin' Up

PAPER: White cardstock (Neenah); Watercolor paper (Strathmore) Bright blue (Bazzill).

INK: Versafine (Black Onyx); Zigs Real Color Brush Pens. 

EXTRAS: Zigzag stitched circle die (My Favorite Things); Swirl Cover plate (Lil Inker Designs); small banner die (My Favorite Things); 

Paper Sweeties June Release Sneak Peeks

Happy Thursday!

It's almost the middle of the month.

That means Release time 

at 

Paper Sweeties!

I decided to make a little doghouse using the new Home/Garden stamp/sweet cuts sets that go with the treat box die release in May.

Check out the rest of the team's projects by hopping along the list below:

Debbie Marcinkiewicz – Paper Sweeties
Jinny Newlin
Karen Letchworth

Kathy Schweinfurth

Larissa Heskett
Lisa Bzibziak
Mackie Robertson 

Maria Patrick

Michelle Bala
Nancy Salkeld (You are HERE!)

Come back tomorrow for more inspirational projects with this month's Release sets.

Paper Sweeties Blessings!

4CC #406 Love Is In The Air Twist

It's Thursday!

Time for a new challenge 

at

4 Crafty Chicks!

Leanne is our hostess this week!

Love is the Twist!

4CC #406 Anything Goes & Love Twist

Stop by the Hen House and see what the rest of the Chicks have created.  Then linkup your own project either using the Love Twist or just Anything Goes!

Card Supplies:

Stamps: Sentiment - Impression Obsession.

Paper: White cardstock (Neenah); Black cardstock - Midnight (Catherine Pooler).

Ink: Fiesta Blue, All That Jazz reinkers (Catherine Pooler Inks); Verasmark.

Extras: Light Modeling Paste (Liquidex); Stencil - Mandala (Studio Katia); White Emboss Powder (Wow); Clear sequins (Pretty Pink Posh).

For Following Challenges:

Calling All Sistahs CAS 13

I was inspired by the photo and the colors.

Crafty Chick Blessings!

CAS Christmas Card Challenge - Masculine

Happy Sunday 

and

Happy June!

Summer is here!  YAY (except boo for the southern humidity)!

There's one way to beat the heat though

and 

that is to play along with this month's challenge

at 

CAS Christmas!

Christine is our hostess this month.  

She has chosen the theme of Masculine Christmas cards.

That's a good thing for me because I do lack in manly Christmas cards in my stash.

I wanted to do something a little non-traditional for this challenge.  I have had the soda stamp and die set from My Favorite Things for a long time and not used it yet.  I also had a piece of alcohol inked background on foil paper from Tim Holtz that just seemed perfect.  So I cut the bottle from the AI foil cardstock, cut the scarf, antlers and bottle top from silver foil cardstock.  Then I stamped the "peace" with versamark and embossed with silver emboss powder.  It barely fit.  For my background, I wanted to keep it simple because it is a CAS challenge and I wanted the soda bottle to stand out.  So I used postage stamp dies from Simon Says and "embossed" instead of cutting them.  Final touch was the sentiment from Papertrey Ink on a banner die inked in Fiesta Blue ink from Catherine Pooler Inks.

Stop by the CAS Christmas Blog and check out the rest of the Team's manly Christmas cards,  so may different styles.  Then get crafty, play along with us, and add some masculine Christmas cards to your stash. You have until June 24th to play along several times.  Just remember to create a new project each time and make it CAS! 

Stamp Supplies: 

STAMPS: Peace sentiment (Hero Arts Layering Snowy Tree); Tis Season (PaperTrey Ink Signature Christmas Set).

PAPER: White cardstock (Neenah 110 lb); Silver foil cardstock (Stampin' Up); Foil specialty paper for alcohol ink (Tim Holtz).

INK: Fiesta Blue (Catherine Pooler Inks); Versamark; Patina, Cloudy Blue, Stream alcohol inks (Tim Holtz Ranger).

EXTRAS: Soda bottle die (My Favorite Things); Antler and scarf dies (Flora & Fauna); Banner die (Reverse Confetti); Postage stamp dies (Simon Says).

Entering In Following Challenges:

CAS Masculine Christmas Blessings!