Miss You

Well that title seems very appropriate considering I've been gone from here for about three weeks or more.  We went camping, then my mom stayed with us while recovering from some minor surgery, then we camped again, then company came, then school started!  In all that time I realize I missed out on so many of your wonderful cards and I'm looking forward to getting back to blog world.

This card is also dedicated to my wonderful husband who flew out today for business.  He is a SciFi fan.  When it comes to movies we joke that if it doesn't come out of a space ship, he hasn't seen it.  I've been saving up for some Paper Smooches stamps and am happy to say I received my order from Simon Says Stamp the other day.  Just enough time to sneak in to this week's Paper Smooches Sparks color challenge:

I got a bit carried away with the contrast on this picture, it looks like it's disappearing into the background.  The second one is more to the natural coloring. 

InLinkz.com

I made the moon by cutting a half circle in white card stock, spraying it with water, scrunching it up, and swiping it through some Black Soot and Old Paper distress inks.  The sentiment was arranged in a curve before stamping to give it that banner look, then I cut the banner and edged it with a black marker.  I attached the banner with a grappling hook which is actually the lamp from the street light in "Promenade".  I masked the rocket ship to put the alien inside.

This card is entered in the following challenge:
Paper Smooches SPARKS: August 20-26 Cool Shades Challenge

Thanks so much for coming over.  I'm so glad to be back!
Have a great day,
Kara Lynne

Sending Christmas Cheer

Anyone else would think I was crazy, but I know you understand the whole Christmas card making in the summer thing!  I think non-card makers think we just whip these things out one blustery day in December.  To be honest, I am new to card making (big scrapbooker) so I haven't had this pressure before.  I have also decided not to make our cards this year as we send out way over 100.  I am, however, very excited to make the gift card holders and tags, etc.  Here's my first project, and I was inspired by the very sweet and amazing Alice Wertz who made this wonderful wine tag.  Now that's one talented lady!  Okay, I hear you all saying, "this doesn't look anything like hers!"  True, but I was inspired.

 

InLinkz.com

The sentiment came with the LOTV stamp and the papers were all from my scraps.  I cut the circle with my Creative Memories circle cutter and then placed it behind the kids.  The snowflakes were a freebie digi cut from the Silhouette online store.

This wine tag was inspired by the lovely and talented Alice Wertz and by the following challenges:

Lili's Little Fairies Challenge:  Christmas In July (We all know it's August, but they're just so behind right now what with the Queen's Jubilee and now the Olympics, we're cutting them some slack).

LOTV's Ideas to Inspire:  Anything but a Card  Frankly, I would've tried to come up with something more clever for this one, but we're leaving to go camping, and I didn't want to miss out on the fun!

Thanks so much to those of you that chose to follow my blog!  Thanks to everyone for stopping by!  I hope you have a great week, and I'll catch up with you next week when I get back (don't have too much fun out there without me).

How Tweet of You

I am happy to be hopping on the Paper Smooches band wagon!  Did you know Archiver's is now selling some of their sentiment sets?  Woohoo!  I have two of the image sets and now I have two sentiment sets.  Here's the problem, I WANT MORE!  Oh, crafting can bring out the good and bad in me - happy to create, yet never satisfied.  We decided to become a one-income family, and when my first daughter was born, I quit my job as a speech pathologist.  I've never looked back, thankfully.  The time is going so fast, and I love being home.  All that to say, I have an allowance that feeds my crafting "needs".  I just got a raise, I get $15 every other week (it was $12.50).  To some of you that may be a lot and to some not so much, but it keeps me in line - ha!.  Christmas, birthday and garage sales help a lot!  How do you fund your hobby?

There is a fun photo inspired challenge going on at the Paper Smooches SPARKS blog, and there's still time to play.

Here's my card:

InLinkz.com 

It means so much to me that you stopped by for a visit.  I hope you are having a great day!
Kara Lynne