About Me

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Ironton, Ohio, United States
Well let's see, I'm Mom to Victoria and Mitchell, wife to Dick; I'm special to all three, who are special to me,and that makes me the Luckiest Person on Earth. Victoria is married to Andew Knipp. I love being a mother-in-law. Hope he loves his mother-in-law. I love the comfort of being home. I'm blessed with a huge craft room, and an endless desire to create. One of my favorite things in this life is meeting people. I have the gift of gab, and can talk to most anyone. God has truly blessed me.

Saturday, January 31, 2009

Long Time No Blog

Okay, it has been a little while since I last blogged. I need to get back on it. Today, I started out my Saturday with surfing. Time will really get away from you while your surfing. I was out and about, looking at new stamps and new cards, etc., and I ran across the blog - The Craft Table. Beautiful cards! There is blog candy being given away. You might want to go there and see all that the winner will receive. Pretty good blog candy!

So, since I have been inspired by all the things I would either like to have or be able to do, I believe I will go to the craft room, where I can do a little fun stuff. I have several images laying on my table ready to be colored. I just couldn’t decide what color to go with. Now that I have some ideas, I better get pencils to paper. Be back soon with a possible picture or two.

Hope your day is good and you get in some stamping today! Thank you for stopping by, and do so often. Happy Stamping!

Toota-loo,
Karen

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Hope Your Week is Going Good!

Hi All:

Haven’t blogged too much lately, but I have been busy. I have a couple of things to post as soon as I get finishing touches done, so to speak.

We are having a winter storm right now. I figure I’m pretty lucky that we are not without electricity right now. There are plenty of people around us without it. So far, in Ohio, there are about 2100 homes without electricity, but in WV & KY it is up in the 15,000-20,000 homes. That stuff makes me so sad. I know there are so many people out there that had no back up heat method or anywhere to go when it is cold. Some turn to other heating measures that are not so safe. Please say a prayer for everyone to be smart, but also ask God for his help. I believe there is probably close to 10" of ice and snow on our driveway and yard. They are predicting that will receive about 2"-4" more tomorrow afternoon. I like the snow, but hate when there is ice. Ice is just way too hard to deal with. Even my indoor/outdoor kitty couldn’t walk on that stuff out there right now. He was sliding all over the place on his four little paws. It was quite an adventure for him.

Well, I am glad you stopped by. I wanted to tell you about a blog candy give-a-way. It is over on Marlene’s blog. I am telling you, because if you win I’m hoping you will stamp a few of those little H&S images and mail them to me. I would just love to have a couple of those to color. Sharing at least the images would be nice. I just wish so bad I could get my hands on some of them. Does anyone have any ideas on how to get them in the USA? If there is a place where I can buy them, please let me know. I just love them. So, check out Marlene’s blog. She colors so pretty. I especially love her kitty. I have two Ragdolls myself, and there is nothing like them.

Thank you again for stopping by, and please do so often. Next post should be with a picture. Me and my girlfriends worked on some things the other evening, and I need to finish up one thing on it and get it on here. Oh, let me ask one thing before I go. There are 4 of us, friends I mean, and we are wanting to do a scrapbooking/cardmaking cruise. If you come across this and happen to know some info on any, please leave me a note. Of course, we are wanting the east coast, since we are in Ohio, out of Norfolk, Virginia, would be great or even the Carolinas. Just let me know. Thanks for your time. Have a great day! Happy Stamping!

Toota-loo,
Karen

Monday, January 19, 2009

Monday Morning & TE Challenge


Got my card finished late last night, early this morning, for the Taylored Expression’s Challenge. I always love the sketches on TE challenges. This was very fun! Did I happen to mention that I like green very much! Well, I actually have always loved green, although I have become particularly fond of pink over the past few years. Ooo! Pink & Green go so well together!

My card is made with mostly SU CS, except for the base and I am not sure what company that paper is from. I’m thinking that it may be one of Archiver’s, which you get 5 free with a coupon. Know what I’m talking about? Well, this is a Hanglar Stanglar stamped image I received from Marlene. I so wish we could buy these things. Would love to have so many more of these. I used spare parts hardware over the sentiment, which says, "Grateful," and is from SU. Just some buttons that I got in a bucket of buttons some time back. My image is colored with watercolor pencils.

Well, hope I have inspired you, if I haven’t shown you things not to do! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you do so often. Have a nice day! Happy Stamping!

Toota-loo,
Karen

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Happy Sunday & WOJ Challenge



Hi All!

What a wonderful day this has been. The snow looked so pretty falling. Of course, it isn’t a whole lot, and I would love to have a whole lot for a day or two and then be gone with it. At least it is not that right down frigid temps we had earlier. I hated it. I couldn’t get warm. Last night the temperature kept rising as the evening went on and I thought we were having a heat wave at 34 degrees. That is probably why the snow has stuck around today, because it had some moisture in it. Well, okay, I have talked enough about the weather.

I am posting this card for the Whiff of Joy challenge this week. It is to use a whiff of joy stamp and the colors green & purple. I used a mixture of SU papers, Kiwi Kiss, and SU purples. The ribbon I used was also SU. I colored my image with colored pencils and placed glitter on her wings as well as the white part of her bracelet. There is a little heart with the word "Love" engraved on it, hanging from the ribbon. The felt corner embellishment is from Oriental Trading and there is a little half pearl from SU glued to that.

The inside of the card is also decorated. The center heart has the words hugs & kisses stamped on it. All SU papers were again used as well as a 2" scalloped square punch. I cut off the scallop from two sides of each square and taped them together. The challenge was a great one. Enjoyed doing it so much.

Now I am off to work on another challenge. Several to do, but not enough time. It is so sad to have another life outside of stamping!

I want to thank you for stopping by and hope you do so often. Have a great day! Happy Stamping!

Toota-loo,
Karen

Monday, January 12, 2009

For Taylored Expressions Cupcake Challenge #50


Hi All:
Well, the card I’ve made today is for Taylored Expressions. It is a little larger than normal size cards, but that is totally so I could get every little thing I wanted on the card, on the card. Does that make sense? Okay, I used "Crazy for Cupcakes" from SU. Most of my paper is SU. I colored the cupcakes with watercolor pencils & used glitter pens on the sides of the cupcakes & on the cherry. There is a piece of vellum paper covering the yellow cardstock and it comes from The Paper Company. I have pop dotted the sentiment up a small bit. What a fun sketch! I totally enjoyed coloring the cupcakes! It made me wish I had one. Of course, I would want white cake with the chocolate icing. . . YUM! Okay, let’s get off this subject.

Thank you so much for stopping by and do so often! I hope you enjoy today’s card, and become inspired. Enjoy your day, and Happy Stamping!
Toota-loo,
Karen

Saturday, January 10, 2009

A Winter Wonderland Scene!


This is a card made from a sheet of U-Cuts from Darcie’s Country Folks. I colored my trees to make them stand out and embossed the snowman. I then outlined the images with a black marker to cover the white edges. The U-Cut sheets are so cute. I need to get more of them.

I have been on a roll adding to my blog. I’m so happy to have the time to do it. It is also great to have the time to actually get to make some other things. Now, I’m working on Valentine’s Day. It is so much fun. Getting away from Christmas, is sad. There are so many neat stamps. I am, however, ready to move on to something else.

Okay, I’m getting to my craft room for some work time. I hope that you are having a stamping good day! Thanks for stopping by and do so often. Happy Stamping!

Toota-loo,
Karen

Friday, January 9, 2009

CPS & SNSS Challenges




Hi All!

Thought I would try to join in the above named challenges this week. What I really enjoyed is that you could join two with the same card. I have the worse time picking and matching colors, but I love Pink & Black together. The new Luvvie stamp from Funkykits.com is great for Valentine’s Day. This card could definitely be for Valentine’s Day. The "love you" on the front of the card is a rub-on remark from Lasting Impressions, and the sentiment on the inside is from SU. Not sure of the set. I used mostly SU papers, the Top Notch Die on the inside, along with Creative Memories Cutting System on the outside oval. There are two designer papers, but I’m not sure the name of the company they come from. Luvvie is colored with watercolor pencils, both Prismacolor & SU’s. I used Papertrey White Cardstock, which is so good. Luvvie also has an embossed heart, which I used light pink embossing powder. There is a mini green Queen & Co brad in the center of the flower in her hair.

Thank you so much for stopping by, and I hope you do so often. Until next time, Happy Stamping!

Toota-loo,
Karen

Looks Like a Police Line-up!



Getting together with my girlfriends this week, it was Tessie’s turn to make the project. She did well, and I had a great time making mine, even though I had an off night. We each chose our colors and colored our images. I always use watercolor pencils. I love the stamp on the card. It is from the set called Holiday Lineup, an SU set. I’m not all that happy with the way it turned out but I loved spending time with my friends, and that was the best part. I do love the stamp, though. It does remind me of a police lineup.

The tag was made from a pattern Tessie got from a web site. I messed mine up several times, and so this is what I finished with. It isn’t that much like what she printed off for us to do. I just got to the point where I was ready to get it finished. You know what I mean? I had made way too many mistakes. I was definitely having a bad night. I guess we all have those, but it is never easy to cope with. Another thing that threw me off, I hate wiggly eyes. It is one of those things that really bothers me. I wish I hadn’t used them, but I went on with the project, and never mentioned it to Tessie. The only way she will know is from reading this blog. Hi! Tessie!

Okay, I have to say that I’m happy you stopped by to see the things I have worked on. I hope you will stop back by often. Have a great day! Happy Stamping!

Toota-loo,
Karen

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Clipboard Fun!


Using Autumn Vine Designer Series Paper, I covered this clipboard to use at Community Bible Study. The ribbon is from Papertrey. Loved how it matched the SU Paper. The three hearts are covered chipboard. This was so fun to make. I wish I had placed the ribbon lower. I have to put something like a piece of cardboard under my paper, so I don’t run into the ribbon and mess up my paper. I guess we learn from our mistakes. It does look pretty, though!

Okay, I hope you have a wonderful day! Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you do so often. Happy Stamping!

Toota-loo,
Karen

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Cute Little Tags or Ornaments!


Using my Hanglar Stanglar Stamp, I used shrinky dink sheets and stamped the image. I colored it with SU & Primsacolor watercolor pencils. I stamped the Whipper Snapper Snow Angel image and colored it as well. I then cut a 12" sheet x 1-1/2" piece of paper & folded it about 1/4-1/2" back and forth. Like the fans we use to make when we were in grade school. I then connected the ends and made it a circle. I punched out small circles where I laid over the center of the circle to help hold it in place. I baked the images and using circle and scallop circle punches, layered the papers, different in colors, as you can see from the picture. On top of the punched circles, I placed the shrunken images. I then placed eyelets on the top part of the tags/ornaments and put string & ribbon through each. This is to place them on either the tree or a package. You could use these to cover any occasion, such as weddings, birthdays, etc. I will need to make up a few for such occasions. They seem simple to make, but I sure did have a tough time keeping that fan-like strip from popping up on the edges. Cut your circles before you go to connect the ends. Make sure you use the good adhesive for the end. Then, I used glue on the back of my punched circle, to lay on the center of the tag. I layed a punch on top of mine to keep it down while it dried. They are fun to make, and I will be making them with different images.

I’m so happy you stopped by. I hope you will come back often. Have a very nice day! Happy Stamping!

Toota-loo,
Karen

Monday, January 5, 2009

Snowman Folder For Letter Writing





Okay, this is one thing I got to make over the past couple of weeks, but didn’t have a chance to post. You are going to have to bear with me, because the next few items I post will be from Christmas, but they are items and not cards. Well, I think one might be a card, or two. Okay, okay! You can maybe get some pointers off them, if you feel inspired from them, and I hope you do. So, on to the recipe for this project.

This is one piece of SU Kraft paper. You can get the instruction for this folder at Dawn’s Stamping Thoughts. I have changed mine up a little to work with things I have. I used DP & a Lasting Impressions embossing template for my snowman & LI paper. Inside I used printed note paper from a journal, which I cut to fit the flap in the folder, and stamped it to match the envelopes. You will see this in the pictures. I’m presently working on a folder that I want to be able to use for any occasion. I’ll post it soon. I want to get a couple challenges accomplished before finishing it.

Thank you so much for stopping by, and I hope you do so often. Hope your day is wonderful! Happy Stamping!

Toota-loo,
Karen


Saturday, January 3, 2009

Luvvie on a Candy Bar Cover for Valentine's Day


Love this stamp! A new one from Leann Ellis Designs available at Funkykits.com. This is Luvvie. Me & my friends, Barb & Tessie, get together occasionally, and we take turns teaching a project. It was my turn to teach. I wanted a candy bar cover, which I thought would make a good Valentine treat. This turned out cute, if I do say so myself! Of course, I mentioned the Sugar Nellie stamp above, and I also used a $1.00 stamp I got at Michael’s. The cover is made using SU In Color Pink Pirouett CS. This is embossed using a pale pink embossing powder, stamped randomly with a heart from the Doodle That SU set. I used Close to Cocoa SU brown cardstock & a designer paper from CTMH for the wrapper. The DP is punched with a Martha Stewart punch. Luvvie was colored using Prismacolor watercolor pencils and SU watercolor pencils, along with a blender pen. The ribbon on the wrapper is Heidi Swapp. The ribbon used for pulling out the candy bar is the ribbon original Alpine from SU. Tah-Dah!

Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you will stop by often. Enjoy your day! Happy Stamping!

Toota-loo,
Karen