A Blog Called Wanda

Sweet! Two challenges in one!

Hey everyone! I'm kinda short on stamping time this week. We are trying to refinance our house and do all that comes with that...paperwork, appraisal, etc. It is a long process, but one that will hopefully work out and be a good thing in the long run. Send some good vibes our way.

Since stamping time is at a premium, I combined two challenges in one! A color challenge from the gals over at Shabby Tea Room and a sketch layout from Taylored Expressions. The colors are bright and happy: Lime green, hot pink and aqua blue Love those colors... and I always love a sketch from Taylor.

Check out Shabby Tea Room Challenge #16 by clicking here. AND Check out Taylored Expressions Challenge #118 by clicking here.

 

I used this super fun paper collection from K & Company called Citronella. It has all the bright, juicy colors called for in the challenge and has fruits and drinks and all kinds of yumminess! The drink is a big sticker! The limes and strawberry on the right were cut out from the patterned paper. I used hot pink bazzill paper and some white paper for my layers. The polka dot ribbon is from PTI - chartreuse.

 

 

Cocktails anyone??? Yes, please!!!

4th of July Cards!

Let Freedom Ring! Today I'm posting my 4th of July cards to share with you. I love making patriotic cards - as you've probably noticed from my blog! For my 4th of July cards this year I called upon an idea from a card I made a while back for Shabby Tea Room. (click here to see that card). This time I made the flag much smaller and also more geometric.

Okay, I have to say that making one of these was okay....but making 16 of them!? Not so much! I had no idea how long it would take me with all that glitter and cutting, and punching, and gluing! Oy. I do like how they came out though, so I guess it was worth it!! And I got to watch THREE movies...hahaha.

The card:

 

The Process:

 

 

 
 

The finished flag is 4" x 3". The blue part is a 1" square punch. the stripes are 1/2" wide. It was fun to combine two of my favorite things right now: polka dots and gingham! The Statue of Liberty is from Amuse stamps! I colored her with my Copics and then put on some 'mermaid' glitter glue. The fireworks were stamped in white ink and then glittered up!

 

 

 
  

God Bless America! Happy 4th of July week!

 

My card just happened to fit into the Curtain Call #36 Challenge too!

Check out Stacey's Stamping Stage!

 

 

Punch Drunk!

Today I'm going to share an obsession... I've alluded to it in the past and you've seen the results of my obsession. Today I'm putting it all out there - my addiction to Martha Stewart punches! I'm buying the entire Martha Stewart punch collection one 40% off coupon at a time!

For a long time I have wanted to catalog them somehow so I could have a reference while I'm making a project. Today I decided to finally do it. First I got out all of my punches and laid them out on my extra table. Oy. Don't make fun of me...

 

Then I cut strips of black paper into 5.5" x 2" and punched out all the edge punches. This way I can see what I have at a glance without having to dig through the punch drawer. It was kind of fun to see them all at once and remember what's in there.

 

Then I put each of the strips onto white paper...and voila! Here is the end result! I think I will try to find some plastic covers to put the sheets in. I think this will help me use them all instead of just choosing my favorites all the time.

 

 

What do you think? Do you have a craft obsession? Are you willing to admit it? Thanks for sharing this with me today. Have a good one!

Hello!

Today's card was meant to send a happy hello to a friend who just moved to a new city. I wanted her to have some fun mail in her new mail box. I love this stamp set from Pink Persimmon with the little banners and the birdies to hold them. Each banner is a different stamp with a different pattern. Don't even get me started on the cute alphabet that fits just so inside the flags!! I know I will be using it a lot in the future.

 

 

I colored the little birdies in with my Copics and used Versamagic ink pads for the banners. The black ink is all Memento Ink.

 

 

 

This little butterfly fluttered by while Mark was out doing yard work! This was the only picture I could snap before she flew away...

 

A Pretty Yellow House...

Hi there! I have a cheerful fun card to share today! My friend Jilli Bling lives in a beautiful yellow victorian house out in the country and she was gracious enough to invite me and some friends over to stamp a while back. I wanted to send her a thank you card and I was so inspired by her wonderful home.

I used my Copic Markers to color the house in...and yes...it took me a long time! I used my glaze pens to add some dimension to the leaves on the plants and some of the yellow siding on the house. I used three or four shades of yellow to get just the right color. I kept the rest of the color scheme simple to focus on the main image.

 

I'm pretty crazy for polka dots lately...

Color Cue #5 Challenge!

Hiya! I found another great blog with a color challenge! This one is a color challenge and you can link to the Stamp Away With Me blog by clicking here.

This is the color pallette we had to work with - nice huh?

Here is my card!

 

 

I used the super super cute PTI hot air balloon set with the cloud die. I used my versamagic inks in the orange, aqua and chartreuse colors and then made the baskets brown. I absolutely adore this stamp set!

 

I tried adding ribbon, some buttons, a charm...nothing worked...so I just left it sort of simple and clean. The images are so crisp and soft and I like the way the scallops add some dimension.

Warning...you're going to be hungry after you read this!

So you all know that I'm always saying...you have to bring your camera everywhere you go! You never know where beauty will be found and ya need to be ready. Here in Northern California we have this great grocery store chain called Nugget Market. The stores are gorgeous and the food is always fresh and beautiful. When I went there last week to buy the items for the mango salsa...I busted out the camera and took some pictures. I really liked how they came out so I wanted to share them with you. I'm warning you, though, you're going to be hungry after you see these...

 

 

 

Can't say I didn't warn you! Don't you want to go cook now??

Shabby Tea Room Challenge, Week #14 - Summer Fun!

Summertime, Summertime, Sum, Sum Summertime!!! Woo hoo! Normally I'm not really a hot weather person, but this year, after all the rain, I am ready for it to be nice outside. I do love certain things about Summer: Sandals, warm evenings, fresh fruit and veggies, and being outside.

Today's card is my entry for the Shabby Tea Room Blog Week #14 Challenge - Summer Fun! I love the Shabby Tea Room challenges! I had fun with this one and I really am happy with my card this week. I hope you like it too! It's a long card - finished size is 8" x 4". I needed all that room for the letters...

 

I had these fun chipboard letters in the cabinet - have had them for a long time. I found some matching paper and some shells and ribbon all in this sort of retro Summer color pallette. Not your typical super bright colors. I sanded the paper to make it look like an old beach towel - all worn in. I stamped the palm trees in the same color ink as the paper. I tried Versamark ink but that wasn't dark enough.

 

 

 

Some of the supplies I used. I created my own fun little embellishment with the chipboard, some ribbon and a pretty shell. I've also had those shells forever! Glad to finally use them.

Tropical Cuties Card...

Good News! I was chosen as one of the Top Crops over at Taylored Expressions for my card from last week. (Challenge #116). Check out the announcement by clicking here! WOOO HOOO! Thanks Taylor! I love her blog so to be selected (again) is wonderful!

Today's card was made especially for my sweet friend TeaDub! I just knew she would like these little tropical cuties! I colored the image first and then decided to go all out tropical with the color scheme too. I love these bright sunny colors.

 

I colored the mice with my Copic Markers and colored the sun a nice yellow hue. I added some ultrafine prisma glitter to the sun to make it shine. The flower embellishment came with the glitter already on it. I used my nesties for the circle and scallop circle.

 

Aloha!

  

Two Challenges in one! TESC #117 and Embellish Magazine Color Challenge...

This weekend was pretty busy and I didn't get in very much stamping time (gasp!) at home. I needed a birthday card and so I combined a color challenge with a sketch challenge to come up with one. The sketch is from Taylored Expressions (#117) and the color challenge is from Embellish Magazine Blog. I'm not sure why I can never get brown to photograph correctly?? The layer on the card, the ink and the velvet flower are all rich chocolatey brown.

 

 

Taylor's Sketch Image:

 

Embellish Color Image - Yellow, Brown and Coral Pink:

 

 

I couldn't resist putting in a picture of my cutie patootie nephew Gabriel, who we saw at the BBQ on Sunday. He just had his one year birthday. What a face! Could you eat him with a spoon??? Oy.

 

Wanda's Mango Party Salsa Recipe!

Hi! Today we are heading up to my brother and sister-in-law's house to celebrate her birthday and their youngest son's birthday. One thing I haven't made in a long time is my Mango Party Salsa. I decided that would be a good thing to bring to the party.

Here's the Recipe: Two mangoes, two kiwis, I cup crushed pineapple (drained), 1/2 red onion, 1 red bell pepper, two tsp sugar, juice from one small lime, and a dash of salt. Optional: Cilantro and/or jalapeno peppers. Cut all ingredients into small, uniform pieces and mix. Chill for at least an hour before serving. 

I like to serve it with Scoops chips or some other light, white corn chips. It is also really great on a salad of butter lettuce with some chicken breast. I hope you try it and enjoy it!

Before:

 

After!

 

 

 

I was in the kitchen today a lot...made blueberry muffins for breakfast...and a cappuccino! I love those days when I can cook good healthy food for us. Never enough time to do that, huh?

 

Cards for the Troops!

Today I went over to JRR's and had a wonderful day of making Cards for our troops! There is an organization that coordinates sending handmade cards to our armed services so that they can have cards to send home for free. It is such a heartfelt, kind gesture and I am happy to be a tiny part of it. Janice coordinates sending our cards to Missouri to the main organization and then they get sent on from there. A BIG thanks to her for doing this for us!!! We had a great time talking and having some snacks and using our hands for God's work.

Please click here to read more about FROMOURHEARTS.INFO or to make a donation or send some cards too!

 

 

It's pretty cool to wonder where our cards might end up! Tomorrow I'll be back with my recipe for Wanda's Mango Party Salsa...

Birthday Hedgies!

Greetings and Salutations! Today I'd like to share a birthday card made with those ever popular and oh- so-cute Penny Black hedgehogs! Yup, I love 'em too. I've been collecting these fun stamps for at least 12 years or so.

Fun fact about me...I used to have a real live hedgehog! Her name was Emma and she was an African Pygmy Hedgehog. She lived about five years - which is a good life for a pygmy hedgie. She was such a fun pet! She had the cutest little feet and her tummy was soft fur. Too much fun! Only down side is that hedgies only eat live food - in the form of meal worms! EW. You know I loved her because I would go to the pet store every week to buy her food. Again...EW. Other than that she was cool and unusual and fun to have around the house!

Emma:

Here's my card to share today:

 

Can you tell that I am SERIOUSLY in love with that blue and white polka dot paper? I know, two posts in a row... The hedgies were colored with Copics and then I added some glitter accents to the balloons, present and flowers. This card, again, cute and simple. I let the image speak for iteself.

I started coloring the hedgies with E00 for their tummies and hands/feet. I then used RV10 for their cheeks. I used three or four shades of both warm grey and cool grey to fill in their spikes. No real pattern to it, just keep going until it looks the way you like.

 

One more day...and then it's FRIDAY!

Curtain Call Color Challenge #33

Hiya! Today's card is for Stacey's Stamping Stage Color Challenge #33! Check out her blog - lots of cute ideas and cards, and I love her color challenges. I've entered her contest before. The one for this week just happens to be in one of my favorite color pallettes - blues and greens. Soft blues and greens, like the ocean or beach glass.

Here is my card:

My card turned out just sort of sweet and simple. The image is from Unity and I colored it with my Copic markers. Used BG000 for the water and G00 for the glass vases!

As always, thank you so much for stopping by my bloggy blog. Have a wonderful Day!

TESC #116 Challenge Card!

HELLO! Happy Monday...I have been a bizzy bee in the craft room today! I had the day off and, after cleaning up the house a bit and doing tons of laundry, I settled into the craft room with Mr. Buddy by my side. I redid my blog banner for Summer...you like? I took that picture in front of the most beautiful church in Lake Forest Illinois last summer.

The card I want to post today is for Taylored Expressions Challenge #116. I love her sketch challenges!

Here's the card - a nice cheery birthday message:

 

Is this little birdie too cute? He's from Whipper Snapper stamps. The banner and words are from Pink Persimmon stamps. I colored in with my Copics and then added a tiny bit of glitter in the center of the flowers. The sweet felt flowers are from Impress and I've had those for ages.

Here is the sketch image:

Close up of the coloring...

  
  Hope a fantastic week is in store for you!

Signs of Summer!

Yikes! After all the excitement from yesterday - today seems kinda mellow! Mark made it to Stockton to drop off the Silver Surfer at around 3:00 in the morning! Today we celebrated our anniversary by going out for a nice lunch at our favorite place - PF Chang's. YUM-MMMY! It was nice to be out and about and we also did a little shopping for some necessities. It was a wonderful day together.

Tomorrow I'm heading off to Jilli Bling's beautiful home to stamp all day with the gal pals. I cannot wait. It is my first time doing the whole shoe-box thing too. Everyone will bring enough project supplies so that we can all make two of each person's card. I am looking forward to it very much. I will also be bringing the Copics to do some coloring. We are having a salad potluck and I volunteered to bring a dessert. I found a recipe for Lime Cake and baked that today. Click here for the recipe.

 

 

 

 

 

Our little impatiens are starting to take off and grow...

 

The hydrangeas are going CRAZY...

These are some clouds that I saw Thurdsday night! They were so amazing I had to pull off the freeway and take a picture. The clouds were so unique and they looked like soft folds of fabric. I don't think I've ever seen clouds quite like these.

 That's it...some signs of Summer from my home to yours. Have a great night!

And so the weekend begins...Weird story ahead!

Okay, kids, you're about to hear a weird story of how our weekend just began! I have to give you some background information first...

My husband is a comic book guy. That is one of his passions (the others being hiking and of course me) and he has been collecting comics since he was a kid. For those of you who get this, he is a Marvel guy. In 2007 the movie "Fantastic Four, Rise of the Silver Surfer" came out in the theaters. Naturally, we went to see it and it was fabulous! Well...back to the story. When the movie left town, the theater by our house was left with the lobby props. One of those being a life size Silver Surfer statue with a city behind him! Mark contacted the manager and turns out they auction that stuff off for charity! Mark bought it! So...he has been living at our house for three years. As you can see, he takes up a lot of room and has taken over Mark's office. It is super cool!

Well, times are hard and we are both state workers and kinda broke. Hubs has been selling some of his things on ebay to make extra money. One of the things he put on ebay was the Silver Surfer. It has been listed for a couple of months, but no bites.

Tonight Mark gets an email from someone saying they want the Silver Surfer and they need it tomorrow morning! They want to come up from LA and get it...NOW. Huh? What? That's weird. Come to find out the Director (!) of the Spike TV Guy's Choice Awards needs it on his set to begin filming the award show at 6am. Click here for a link to the show. It will air June 20th. So, he instantly paypal-ed the money and now it is being disassembled...Mark and his brother are going to drive it as far as Stockton to meet up with the staff so they don't have to drive the entire way!

 
Okay - weirdest story ever???? This is a great start to the weekend for us and proves that the LORD really does work in the most mysterious of ways. HE will provide and you never know how! Today is our 17 year anniversary as a couple! I would say this is an excellent anniversary present!

Have a great weekend everyone. Hopefully I will get in some stamping time tomorrow to post a card.

Put on your shades...bright cards ahead!

Today the cards I'm sharing are BRIGHT! They were inspired by the pretty aqua paper and I just went outside my comfort zone and made these cards with colors that POP! It is Summer time after all...get out the sunglasses and take a look.