Just because I felt like it

It seems like I usually make cards with a specific person in mind, which means I'll pick the image just for them. You know, one that speaks to me and says something like, "so-and-so would love her!". Then I might color that image in the proposed recipient's favorite colors and find papers to match, then set about making the card. And then there are other times when I just color an image because I like to color and I just make a card with that image because I like to create. Monday was one of those times. I was waiting for a friend to visit and I was too pumped up to sit and read or watch tv, so I got lost at my craft desk once again. This is what emerged after I was done, amidst the sea of paper scraps, half empty embellishment packets and ribbon pieces:

Luckily for me, I know several people with special occasions coming up who would love her, even if yellow is not their favorite color. I mean, who wouldn't love a little girl with a toddler chub tummy and stocky little toddler legs, loving on her teddy bear? She is illustrated by Elisabeth Bell for Belles N Whistles. I colored her with copics. For now, she'll sit in my stash and wait for that special person to call for her. Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Oh, yeah. The challenge list before I forget. This card is for the following challenges:
Challenges 4 Everybody (6/7)- Anything Goes
Clear it out (6/3) - Critters (teddy bear fits, I hope) and earth tones (lots of yellow in my card)
Creatalicious Challenges (6/13) - for the girls
Cute Card Thursday (5/29)- Tie it up
Elisabeth Bell's World (6/22) - new beginnings (I think this would make a cute baby card)
Elphine House (6/12) - Welcome, Little One
Kaboodle Doodles (6/2) - Anything Goes
Oozak (5/31)- Anything Goes with Earth Tones
Simon Says (6/4) - Anything Goes
The Squirrel and The Fox (5/31) - Here come the girls
Sweet Stampin'  (6/1) - Doilies and Dies

First Mother's Day EVER

I'm not sure how many of you remember the little elephant envelope I made for my friend Tiffani months ago, to hold her card and a gift that a bunch of us gave to her and her husband, Dave. They are adopting their son from Ethiopia. They received his information over a year and a half ago and have been waiting anxiously and knocking down the walls thrown up by some unscrupulous, greedy people. Well, their day is finally here. They are currently on a flight back home, with their son Eli in tow. I am so excited for them, I can hardly stand it. I decided that she deserves a special Mother's Day card for her first Mom's Day ever.

Eli's room is done in blue and brown, with elephants. I had to use a more teal-y blue to match the paper, rather than the actual color in his room. Tiffani also loves owls, so I tossed a little owl on here, too. This is the card I made for her:

This is a round card; the pink is actually my cutting mat. I colored this cute little Stampendous elephant with my copics. The greys didn't blend as well as I'd like (I went too dark) but I think he's still cute. Papers are Bazzill and Echo Park. I cut the squares, clouds, and banner with my dies, and paper pieced the balloons. I popped them up a bit with pop dots. I used punches to cut out the sentiment, which is from an old Stampin' Up set that I've had for years. The fence is Jolee's, I believe (it's been in my stash for a while). I used stamps from Stamp Hideaway to create the grass and flowers under the elephant's feet. The little bow is from AC Moore's wedding section. I embossed some of the papers with the Swiss Dots folder. I think that's everything! I had a ton of fun making this card. I cannot wait to see Eli, Tiffani and Dave tomorrow! It's also what would have been mine and Rick's 15 year anniversary, so I'll head to the cemetary after the airport, to give him some flowers and reflect. Now if this rain would just stop, it'd make my travels a lot easier!!!

Have a wonderful Mother's Day. I hope you have someone in your life who will pamper you this weekend.

Yay, yay, yay!!! Did I say, "Yay!!!"

Finally!!! I can do the happy dance (feel lucky that you can't see it. I have no rhythm at all). I will be the guest DT member for Whimsy's rubber stamp release in June! I am beyond excited. I can't wait to get started, play with new goodies, and showcase my work alongside such a talented DT. What an honor. Yeah, my cats are looking at me funny, as I do the excited butt wiggle and try to type at the same time. Not an image you want in your head, I'm sure, so let's move on to other things.

What are you doing for your mom (or the mother figure in your life) for Mother's Day? And if you're a mom, what are your family's plans to spoil you? We took my mom to dinner last night, as she will be out of town as of tomorrow morning. I had fun coloring an image for her Mom's Day card while I was visiting my friend Sara over the last few days. I kept the card clean and simple this time. Gimme some kudos, please, because you know that is hard for me. And to keep a card CAS and actually like how it turned out? Well, that's pretty much a miracle!

Ok, ok. I'll shut up and show you the card.

The adorably sweet image is a Wee Stamp by Sylvia Zet from Whimsy. Isn't she precious? I added flowersoft after coloring her up with my copics. Sara and I critique each other's work as we color, which is awesome. I love that, and I love that we can bounce ideas off of each other and learn from each other. Well, she advised me to blend her hair a bit more and I said no. Man, I'm an idiot sometimes. Yes, Sara, I am saying that you were right. Oh, well. My mom liked her, and that's all that matters. And I actually like the overall design of the card, which is shocking. I really do have such a hard time with CAS cards and admire the people who do them so well.

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope your Mother's Day is fantabulous!!!