No time for stamping today....

This will be a busy week as we get ready for a long overdue yard sale and finish the addition to our screen-enclosed raised beds.  But I finally jumped on the coloring book bandwagon - just a little something to keep busy in the evenings when we're watching TV. Hope your week is wonderful!
  

Pig in a Planter

Meet Hamlet.  I colored this friendly little guy for the free Stamp of the Month Challenge over at From the Heart Stamps.  I think he looks a little concerned.  I can't blame him - he's probably getting hungry, and he could be in big trouble when the farmer's wife finds him in her flower pot!  This digital stamp set includes 8 images - Hamlet in his planter, plus 7 sentiments.  The sentiments can be used separately, or with other images.
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There are lots of cute, affordable digital stamps, "created with love in Colorado," at From The Heart Stamps. They host a progressive monthly challenge - anyone who posts a project made with the stamp of the month automatically receives the NEXT month's free stamp as well.  There's also a weekly "I [heart] Sketches" challenge.  Participants earn $1 credit each time they participate.

I have some REALLY cute digis from my last order.  One of these days I'll get them printed out and made up into cards.  Meanwhile, you might want to take a peek at what they have available, or like their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/FromTheHeartStamps/).

Grow Where You're Planted

Welcome to our Fun Stampers Journey "May Flowers and Growth" Blog Hop! We're really happy you're hoppin' along! If you arrived here from Heather Flaherty's blog, you're on the right track. If not, that's ok too! Just continue the hop and you'll come full circle - there's a list of all the participants at the bottom of this post.

I love tulips, but I simply cannot grow them. I tried in Alaska, lovingly planting bulbs in the fall only to be disappointed in the spring. After two or three years a neighbor told me voles (tiny short-tailed mousy-type rodents that I really didn't like) scurried around under the snow all winter long EATING my tulip bulbs. So I gave up. But then I moved to Colorado! My mom grows tulips so maybe there's hope for me. Nope...they come up just fine, but then the neighborhood bunnies eat them down to the ground. In fact, yesterday I noticed they're even digging down to get to the bulbs. So I've decided it's not that I don't have a green thumb - it's just that I grow such DELICIOUS tulips that wildlife can't resist.

When I saw this stamp, which unfortunately is no longer available, it reminded me of something in which I truly believe:  "Grow Where You're Planted." No matter what circumstances you find yourself in (even if it's an old boot!) you can always find goodness and beauty if you look for it. So here are some spring tulips that the voles and bunnies aren't going to eat. I used the same image and orientation just to show what different colors and backgrounds could do for a card.

  

Now, please head over to Carol Norby's blog to see what she has to share this month. And thanks for visiting my blog - come back again some day!

May's Blog Hop:

1. Christine Pennington: www.christinepennington.com/my-blog/FSJ-may-flowers.html
2. Betsye Rose Cimino Erazo: betsyerose.blogspot.com/2016/05/april-showers-bring-may-flowers.html
3. Kim Lamos: pinkzebrapapercreations.blogspot.com/2016/05/journey-hoppers-blog-hop.html
4. Heather Flaherty: www.papercrafteranonymous.com/2016/05/FSJMayFlowers.html
5. Wilma Payne: You're HERE!
6. Carol Norby: stampincarol.blogspot.com/2016/05/may-flowers-blog-hop.html
7. Charlene Lindsey Leasor: charsjourney.com/index.php/2016/05/15/journey-blooms-blog-hop-may/
8. Sharon Olson Venclauskas: www.bloomsbysharon.com/may-flowers-blog-hop/
9. Sandra Kay Tate: craftingwithsandra.blogspot.com/2016/05/may-blog-hop.html
10. Ruth Cooper: www.sassyangelsstudio.com/journey-blog-hop-may-flower

May Class

I wasn't sure I would be able to have a class this month - May's calendar filled up early with lots of those things life seems to bring: doctor appointments, trips, birthdays, and other family responsibilities.  But then I discovered ONE empty Saturday! And what was even better?  Our room at the library is available on that same Saturday.  So we're on for next Saturday, May 21st, 2:00 to 4:00 at the Barkman Branch Library in Pueblo.  Here are the cards we'll be making.

I've been having fun playing with color and texture, so these two Fun Stampers Journey cards will include lots of patterned papers, bright colors, sequins, glitter and glaze.  Your mermaid will need a place she can dry safely, so if you happen to have a small box, bring it along.
 
This is a card from one of the Stampin' Up Paper Pumpkin kits.  I'll bring along alternate sentiments that you can use on any of the three cards.

A couple of challenges

It's been cold, windy and dreary outside today, so I hid out in my craft cave and played with my stamps.  Here's what I ended up with - now it's time to put my feet up and play Words With Friends!

Both of these cards were inspired by this week's Can You Case It (CYCI) sketch challenge #118:

I love adding sequins and sparkle to this mermaid.  I added a sheet of vellum over the background, trying to create kind of a "misty" look.  

I'll be posting the daisy in this week's One Journey Coach's Challenge also - the challenge was to use an ombre element.  I used watercolors for the ombre, then added a bit of texture by inking and pressing with a piece of bubble wrap.  (Gotta love that FSJ packing material!!)

All in all, a nice relaxing day - but I'd still like the sun to come back tomorrow.

If you'd like to order, click HERE to go to my Fun Stampers Journey site.  And here are the supplies I used for these two cards:

Stamps:

• Mermaid Wishes AT-0161 (Bloom Benefit)
• Hello Lovely SS-0192
• Tag Elements AT-0130
• Butterfly Prints SS-0017

Ink: 

• Black Licorice IP-0041
• Grape Fusion IP-0006
• River Stone IP-0053

Paper:

• Yummy Prints Paper Pack PP-0007
• Whip Cream Card Stock CS-0040
• Lemon Drop Card Stock CS-0018
• Limeade Splash Card Stock CS-0020
• Blue Lagoon Card Stock CS-0004

Other:

• Butterfly Prints Dies DI-0015
• Sparkle Dust AC-0013
• Journey Glaze AD-0002
• Foam Squares AD-0084

May Inspiration Board Challenge

I belong to an awesome FaceBook group called Stamping Enablers.  And the members of that group truly DO enable the rest of us!  I can't tell you how many neat new techniques, ideas, and "gotta haves" that I've found there.

Every month we have an Inspiration Board Challenge.  It lasts the whole month.  The winner is selected randomly and receives some kind of surprise from another one of the members who has volunteered for that month.  Entries can be any kind of project, inspired by the images and/or colors in the board.

We'd love to have new participants - just create something and upload a picture to the May album.  (If you're not a member of the group yet, just request to join.)  Hope to see some new folks there this month!