Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Merry Christmas Alyce Blog Hop


Merry Christmas Dear Alyce


Hi, and welcome to my stop on the Merry Christmas Alyce Blog Hop.  You should have arrived here from Andrea's blog.  If you've just happened upon this blog and want to start at the beginning please click HERE.

Here's wishing one of the best coloring teachers in the land the Merriest of Christmases and Happy New Year!  The classes at Kit and Clowder are so detailed with amazing videos, step-by-step lesson plans, and practice sheets with fantastic images from sponsors.  Your always positive, constructive, and gentle feedback just blows me away.  I don't know how you do it all lady but you are such a jewel and one of a kind.  Thanks for all you do for all of us and for running such a fun, positive, and helpful Facebook group.

Image on the card is Christmas Tree Sprite with Gingerbread Boy from Aurora Wings, one of the wonderful sponsors of the Kit and Clowder classes and group.  You can find it HERE.

So glad you could join us for this wonderful Surprise Christmas Blog Hop for Alyce of Kit and Clowder.  Below is a list of the Blog Hop participants.  Hope you have the time to leave a little love with some Christmas wishes for Alyce and these amazing designers.

      Mari K
        Davinia Wood 
        Maya Go 
        Amy Osborn Purdie 
        Noelle Martin
        Kelli Arkell Hall
        Gail Neduzak
        Ronda Camire
      Krystal Edmond
     Cathie Borowski 
      Lisa Hendrick  
      Nini  
     Ceci Reyes
     Sonia Whitehall
         Carol Riepen-West
     Julie Reed
     Kristen Dishon
     Mila Scrap
     Jamie Peters
     Myndi Fraser
Thanks for stopping by!  Your next stop on the hop is Julie.

Love, Hugs, and a Very Merry Christmas to all,
Carol

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

HELLO.........

To all of you that still follow an inactive blog, I'm coming back soon with some fun things to share with you.

Can't believe it is almost the first of October and that today is the first day of Fall.    It's been so long since I posted that I wasn't sure I'd remember how.  Seems I spend what time I have over with the FB crowd and working on my coloring classes by Alyce at Kit and Clowder.  Actually, I really haven't been doing much of that either because I'm still struggling with my right arm and hand.

Brett is still with us and a tremendous help but some days he doesn't move quite as fast as I think he should.......Got to stop and realize he's getting older too.  Of course, no two sets of priorities are the same so it is what it is.  Eventually it gets done.

Conley's dementia is progressing.  He struggles to dress himself, feed himself, and just do everyday things, but his attitude is still good and he's still on foot.  Maybe I should say underfoot most days (LOL) but I'm so glad he is still here and is somewhat cognizant.  Not much short term memory left but he still tells me he loves me everyday, gives me hugs, and kisses.  Can't ask for much more than that.

I just have all kinds of things to chat about but I'm headed to bed before I fall asleep at the computer. Hope to see you all soon.

Love & Hugs,
Granny (Carol)

Saturday, June 14, 2014

Taking A Short Break

Thought I'd pop in and let you all know that I'm not going to be blogging for awhile.  Not sure just how long I'm going to be away.  My right arm is swelling quite a bit as is my wrist and fingers which is very painful to use at that point.  Seems every time I try to color or make something I have to stop after about 10 minutes and get so darn frustrated.   See the doctor next week so will wait and see what he says.

The 23rd my little Sparkey is having cataract surgery as he is going blind from the diabetes and can only see shadows now.  That will be taking up a lot of my time for 2 weeks.  At least he will be able to see again, play, and chase things after a few weeks. He's only 8 and should have quite a few good years left.  If nothing else he will get over being depressed and running into things.  The Vet Ophthalmologist is in Kansas City so that means several trips back and forth for pressure checks, follow-ups, etc. and I know I'm going to be exhausted.

Sharing my babies:
Sparkey (Age 8)
 Fritz (Rescue) Age 2 - Sparkey
 Playing tug of war

 Sleeping together in Molly's big bed (Molly (Lab) now deceased)
 Will pop in for updates as time allows.  Hope you are enjoying your summer or winter wherever you are.
Love & Hugs,
Carol

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

DT Card for Southern Ridge Trading Company


Happy Tuesday from Missouri.
Today I'm sharing a card I've made using this adorable image (Pixie Nerd) from Saturated Canary, colored with Copics, during a Color Along with Alyce on the Kit and Clowder website.  I'm taking the wonderful Skin and Hair class by Alyce and I can really see an improvement in my coloring (sometimes).  Learning so much but my fingers don't always want to do what they are suppose to do...LOL  As Alyce says, practice, practice, practice.

I've chosen these wonderful pieces of chipboard by Karen to accent the card.  I wanted to keep it plain this time so you could see how it looks in it's natural form.  The pieces I've used are FRA 308,  and  leaves/branches GAR 285.  The flowers are from WOC.

You can find these chipboard pieces along with many others to chose from at Southern Ridge Trading Company.

Entering challenge: Kit and Clowder - Flowers

Thanks so much for stopping by and we hope to see you again soon.
Love & Hugs, Carol

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Chi Chi Memories sponsors CCAYR


Welcome to the Christmas Cards All Year Round May challenge sponsored by Chi Chi Memories.  The challenge is "Santa/Santas Hats".

My card showcases the cute Xmas Boy image available HERE.  He was colored with Copics and I apologize for not writing down the ones I used.  The DP is from Maja Designs Vintage Frost Basics and the card base is Heavenly White.  The Frostyville corner die is by Memory Box and the snowflake is by Joy 6002/2018.  I can't find the one for the reindeer as I've had it cut out and sitting in my stash box forever.  The flowers are from LLC.

There are two prizes this month from Chi Chi Memories and they are:
1) Any single Digi value to $3.99
2) 15% One time discount coupon


Challenges entered:
Simon Says Wednesday - Anything Goes
Jingle Bells - 3 or More Layers
Jellypark Challenges - One for the Boys!

Be sure you hop on over to the CCAYR Challenge Blog to see all the cute and amazing designs by our talented Design Team.

Thanks so very much for stopping by and I hope to see you again soon.
Love & Hugs, Carol (Granny)

Monday, April 28, 2014

DT CALL


DT CALL!!!
Are you interested in playing with chipboard? Are you interested in working with a great group of gals in a very relaxed team atmosphere?
Then check this out:
Include the following:
• Your name
• Email address
• City and country of where you live
• Blog address
• If you would like to write a little blurb to tell us a bit about yourself
• Are you on or have you been on any other Design Teams?
• Best way to contact you
Requirements of a Design Team Member:
• Complete two assignments per month according to calendar
• Post to your blog AND SRTC blog with photos and descriptions of your finished products.
• Participation in a blog hop every 2 or 3 months.
• Post on the team FB group and your own FB page.
• Make comments on any posts that are shared on the SRTC FB group.
• Repost any SRTC advertising for blog hops, sales or any regular SRTC items that could help in promoting.
• Send in any completed projects for trade shows if you are willing to part with a few pieces.
Your compensation
• Every 2 months you will receive your DT package ahead of time to allow you plenty of crafting time. BONUS: You will be able to pick your own designs!
• You will receive 20% off MSRP for products on the SRTC website.
***All crafter’s are given their own creative freedom so you can create whatever project/card you like with whatever theme you want. COOL HUH!!
Please send to Eulanda at eulandas@rocketmail.com and write DT CALL in the subject line. Deadline for submissions is May 16th, 2014.
THANK YOU!!

Saturday, April 19, 2014


Woot  Woot... Easter Candy at Southern Ridge Trading Company. Wishing a VERY Happy Happy Easter to you all.  I'm doing something a little different today as I want you to pick two (2) of the chipboard pieces above that you would like to see used in a design, card, or project.  The winner will receive the same two pieces from me to design their own project.. 

Following Guidelines:
Become a follower of the SRTC blog..
Join us on our Facebook Page HERE..
Leave a comment on the SRTC blog letting me know which 2 pieces you would like..

The winner will be drawn on April 30 and will be announced May 1, 2014, on the SRTC blog and on Facebook.  

Thank you so very much for stopping by and I hope to see you again soon.  Please take the time to see some gorgeous creations throughout the blog by the DT.

Love & Hugs, Carol (Granny)

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Hoppy Easter at SRTC


Happy Thursday and I'm so glad to finally have arrived............LOL  This has been one of the most challenging posts I've done for awhile due to some family issues but gosh darn, I gotter done.  Apologies for being a little late

Easter will be here before we know it and I'm trying to get a little ahead on family cards.  The bunny image is precolored from The Paper Shelter and the adorable image is from Artbymarin, which I have colored with Copics using Diamond Glaze for her eyes.  This is one of the images I won from Judy as part of her bloganniversary candy named Cottontail. 

Don't you just love this "Hoppy Easter" CEL-042 piece of chipboard from Southern Ridge Trading Co. that is designed by Karen.  There are Easter Eggs too that I just didn't get dyed in time to add. I've added Gesso to the entire piece and then some color using Victorian Velvet DI and Stickles.  The butterflies are die cuts from my stash with liquid pearls added.

Challenge Entries:
Artbymarin - Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Scrapbook Stamp Society - Anything Goes

Thanks so much for stopping by and I'll see you again soon.
Love & Hugs, Carol (Granny)

Monday, March 31, 2014

Poinsettia Madness at CCAYR


We have a lovely challenge for you over at Christmas Cards All Year Round this month.  If you haven't already guessed, it's poinsettia's and you can also use the option of adding a doily.  We want to see at least one poinsettia on your card this month.  As you can see, I've used a poinsettia frame from Southern Ridge Trading Company and added the flowers from WOC to give it that extra special touch.  The image is by Sherri Baldy of My Besties that I've had colored with Copics for awhile and the DP from my stash drawer.


Be sure you stop by the CCAYR challenge blog to see the wonderful creations by the rest of the team and to add your entry for the challenge.

Challenges entering:
Southern Girls Challenge - Floral Frenzy
Scrapbook Stamp Society - Anything Goes
Christmas Card Challenges - Favorite Coloring Medium
Crimbo Crackers - Anything Goes for Christmas

Thanks so very much for stopping by and I hope to see you again soon.
Love & Hugs, Carol (Granny)

Wednesday, March 26, 2014


Can't begin to tell you how much fun I had coloring Mary and her little lamb created by Sylvia Zet.  I'm hoping to see some improvement in my coloring as I'm taking the Skin and Hair Class by Alyce at Kit and Clowder.  I've been so absorbed in the class and practicing that I haven't been doing much card making.

I just love this frame made by Karen at Southern Ridge Trading Post.  You can get this frame (FRA-135) and many other beautiful pieces of chipboard HERE.  Hop on over and take a look at all of the gorgeous pieces she has for you.  Hope you will check out the new SRTP Blog

The flowers are a combination of Prima, WOC, LLC,and  Kort & Gort.  I've colored the image with the following Copics:
Skin:  E000, 00, 11, 04, 21 - R20
Hair:  E50, 53, 42, 57
Bonnet & Shoes:  R10, 81, 83
Dress:  V000, 01, 04, 06, 09 - C00, 01, 04
Lamb:  C00, 01, 04, R22
Flowers:  BG000, 13, 49

Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope to see you again soon.
Hugs, Carol (Granny)

Thursday, March 13, 2014

SRDT First Post


Here is my first DT card for Southern Ridge Trading Company.

Please hop over to the blog for more details and links. 

Would love to have you join us on Facebook  and share your chipboard creations.

Thanks so much or stopping by and I hope to see you again soon.
Hugs, Carol

Saturday, March 1, 2014

Side-step Winter and an Announcement


March is going to be a FANTASTIC month, coming in like a LION here and I hope going out like a LAMB!!  We have 6-10" of snow forecast for Saturday and Sunday. I'm sure I'm not the only one sick of winter and snow, but it is what it is, and soon we can complain about the heat of summer...

Our challenge at Christmas Cards All Year Round this month is "Step Cards".  I chose to make a side-step card and used my Silhouette Cameo (for the first time) to cut it out.  OMG, it's so easy that I went crazy cutting out step-cards and now just need to embellish them.  I think I'm going to like my Cameo a lot better than I did my Cricut.  The image is a My Besties image colored with Copics. These cuties have captured my heart.  The flowers are from Prima.  The two trees, sleigh and reindeer are from Southern Ridge Trading Company and have been coated with Gesso, added some snow and Diamond Dust. Finally got to use a couple of the pine cones from Canada and my sweet friend Eulanda..  The DP is from SU.

I hope you will join us this month.  Be sure to stop by the CCAYR Challenge Blog and see the amazing designs by my wonderful DT sisters who have put up with me being sick and MIA for a long while.  They have stood by me and encouraged me while I've gotten better.  They are a wonderful and caring group to be a part of and I want to thank them all so very much.

Entering the following challenges:
Christmas Card Challenges - Anything Goes
Addicted to Stamps - Pink and White
Everybody Art Challenge - Ribbon or Lace
Sweet Stamps Challenge - Favorite Color ( I used Pink)
Simon Says Wednesday - Anything Goes with Pearls
Crafty Creations - Keep It Simple
In The Pink - Pink + One
Totally Paper Crafts - Make It Shine
Aussie Bestie Challenge - Pearls/Bling/Bestie Image

**ANNOUNCEMENT**

Opening today, Southern Ridge Trading Company blog. I hope you will stop by and meet the amazing and multifaceted design team.  So honored to have been asked to be a part of the team and really looking forward to working more with chipboard.  We also have a Facebook page and I hope you will visit us there to see the latest releases.

That's it for me tonight.  I do what to thank you for stopping by and I so hope to see you again soon.  Please visit us at CCAYR and at Southern Ridge Trading Company.
Love & Hugs, Carol (Granny)

Saturday, February 1, 2014

February Blues


Happy February, one month closer to spring, and boy, am I ready.  Our weather, as I'm sure everyone has been having, is like a yoyo, up and down and down and up.  50+ for one or two days then sub zero with high winds. for 5.  It's just totally crazy here in Missouri but not near as bad as the east coast and north of us. It's snowing like crazy and this is just round 1 of 4 for the next week. Since they are naming winter storms now I'm curious at to what the 3 names will be...lol  I can think of a few I'd like to call them but don't dare publish....

Enough chatter about the weather as I'm sure we are all ready for some wonderful spring heat.  Mother Nature will have her way regardless of whether we like it or not.

Our challenge this month at Christmas Cards All Year Round is blue and white, no other colors except hair, skin, fur, feathers, but try to keep everything else blue and white.  There is an OPTION of adding a heart that could be a charm, embellishment, chipboard, etc.  Our sponsor this month is Sassy Design Studios.  You want to be sure and hop on over to the CCAYR blog and see all the wonderful creations by the DT using these cute and sassy images..

I chose the image "Don't Open Till Christmas" and you can get her HERE.  She is colored with Copics.  Skin: E30, 000, 0000, R20;  Hair: E50, 53, 55, 57; Slacks: B91, 93, 95, 97,  Added Diamond Glaze to her eyes and Stardust Stickles to her shirt and the snowflakes.  The flowers are by Kort & Gort, Wild Orchid Crafts, and Prima.  DP is Maja Vintage Frost Basics.  Dies used are: Spellbinder's Nestabilities Majestic Elements, IO Dies Die084-V and IO DIE122-D.

So very glad that you stopped by and hope to see you back again soon.  I'll have some very exciting news to share with you coming later this month.

Love & Hugs, Carol (Granny)

Thursday, January 2, 2014

CCAYR 1st Challenge of 2014

Happy New Year Everyone...Hope your holidays were shared with loved ones and that you made many happy memories that will last a lifetime.

Our sponsor this month is Beccy Muir from Beccy's Place.  I've chosen the Snowman Trio and added a small amount of color with my Copics. The sentiment is from LOTV and this gorgeous note die is a JOY die.   Of course I had to have a little shine so I used Snow Writer for the snow base below the snowmen and added Diamond Dust. The challenge this  month is "Anything Goes" and we can't wait to see your wonderful contributions to the challenge.  Be sure to stop by the Christmas Cards All Year Round Challenge Blog to see the wonderful creations by my DT Sisters along with more images by Beccy.

A few challenges I'm entering:
Christmas Card Challenge - Anything Goes Holiday or Christmas Card - Closes 1/4
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Any Christmas cards made and not posted or a new one for 2014.  Closes 1/3
ABC Christmas Challenge - "Z is for Zany" Funny or humorous project - Closes 1/7

Here's hoping that 2014 is a lot better than 2013.  Thanks so very much for stopping by and I hope to see you again soon.
Love and Hugs, Carol (Granny)