Thanks A Bunch

Hi and Happy New Year's everyone.  I hope everyone is enjoying the last day of 2012.

Today is the new sketch from cardabilities.blogspot.com.  This is my creation for this week's sketch.  I used Stampin Up products as well as a few from Verve.

**I am not home, so when I get back I will go ahead and the details of my card and the products I use.

Again hope you all have a great new year and be safe.

Best Birthday Wishes

Hi fellow crafters.  Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.  We had a nice quiet one at home. It was great!  With all the traveling we did at Thanksgiving then the next week me traveling to Florida it is nice just to relax and be at home.  

Anyway...I did get a few cards done this week.  I am glad that I am done with Christmas cards...even though I was bad and didn't actually mail out Christmas cards this year.  Anyway, now I can get caught up on my Birthday and Thank you Cards.  So here is one that I made using Regal Collections DSP, Regal  Collection Cardstock, and Crumb Cake Cardstock.  The stamped image is from Serene Silhouettes Stamp set.   For the cutout image I used Label Collection Framelits. 

Hopefully I will have a few more cards to share this week so please stop back! 

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas From the Kottwitz/Tucker family! 

I hope you all have a wonderful day with your family and friends.  We will be spending time together...enjoying Christmas, then celebrating my birthday!  

Christmas Card~Cardabilities#65

Good morning!  Hope you are having a good day!  This morning I am posting my very first card for Cardabilities new Design Team.  It was suppose to be posted yesterday but for some reason my automatic post didn't post.  I am sure it was NOT operator error (wink..wink).

I am very excited to be on this new Design Team.  Cardabilities posts a new sketch on the 15th and 30th of every month.  Hope you will join along.  Their sketches are so cute and makes a great blue print for making cards.

I started with my card base which is Crumb Cake.  The back piece to the cut out is in Olive card stock.  For the ornaments I used the Holiday Ornaments Framelits.  I all the new Framelits that Stampin' Up has now.  They make cutting so easy!

Make sure to head over to all the other design team members blogs and check out their creations. You can find their blogs on the right in the sidebar or head over to Cardabilities where you can find them all.

EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

I have some exciting news to share.  It is official!  I have been asked to be on the Design Team for Cardabilities Sketch blog.  I am SUPER excited.  I applied a while ago by submitting a few pictures of some cards I have made as well as some other information they asked for.  Then...as you know life got in the way and I forgot about it.  At some point it entered my mind again and I figured I didn't make the cut.  Then...about a week later I got an email from Karan, the owner of Cardabilities Blog asking for some more info.  Of course I sent it.  Last week I got the official email asking me to be on this quarters Design Team. I will be on the Design Team for December, January and February!   I have always loved the sketches I have found on Cardabilities and can't wait to start my term as a DT member. Make sure to head over to THIS post on the blog to see the official announcement.  There you will see KRISTIN KOTTWITZ~USA as a new Design Team member!  YEAH!

Now...on to a little other news.  I have been busy organizing my craft space and getting my work area cleaned up.  I am also working on another of my new found hobbies which is knitting.  I have to have my the project I am working on finished by Friday as it is going to someone that we are going to see this weekend.   With that being said...I will also be heading out of town Friday for a little more than a week.  I am going to see friends in Harrisburg, PA then heading farther North....a lot farther north to my big ol' hometown of Coudersport to see my family and my hubby's family.  The kids and I are hitting the road Friday and will have a fun filled week. I probably won't be posting much during this time.  But once I am back...I will be starting up again.

Hope everyone has a great week!  And see  you back here soon!

My first Scarf

Hello!  Hope everyone is doing well.  I am doing great!  I am sorry I haven't posted anything lately, but I have been working.   I decided to learn how to knit.  I scrapbook, stamp and even counted cross stitch.  But I was at my friend Erin's house one day and she was showing me a cute project she was working on so I decided it was something I wanted to try.  Thanks to her, my friend Jen and a knitting club another friend Caitlin told me about I have completed my first project.

My friends told me the easiest thing to practice was a scarf so that was my first project.  Madison decided she was going to take over as the first recipient of my new found hobby.  I asked Carli if she wanted and and she laughed and said no. I am guessing it was because there was some pink it it.

Anyway...here it is!

Of course it is not perfect and if you look really close you can see some of the mistakes but...Madison loves it and I think it turned out good for my first time.  It didn't take me long either.  I started it this past Wednesday, Nov. 7th and finished it this afternoon!  Now I am ready to start on my next one!

Anyway...hope you are all having a great weekend and hopefully will see you here with a few new cards soon!

Birthday Wishes

Hi All!  Hope you are doing great.  Today I set up a table at the craft fair.  It was okay.  Not a lot of people but I did sell quite a bit for the number of people that came through.

Hubby has been gone on his hunting trip for almost 10 days.  He is driving back now.  He has a 16 hour drive from Michigan so he won't be getting in until the morning hours.  I can't wait to see him!  The girls are ready for him to get home too.

Since my hubby has been gone I have done some card making.  I made my card today for two challenges.  The first is the challenge sketch for this week over at Tuesday Morning Sketches.  The other was for last week's challenge at the dynamic due challenge blog.  However I didn't get my card posted in time to get it on their challenge blog.

Have a great night!

Happy Halloween-Craft Fair

Hi all.  Sorry I have been MIA lately.  Just been busy.  My husband went out of town with a friend to go hunting so it has been me and the girls.  They are good, just busy...busy...busy.  Tonight we went trick or treating with the Dickerson's.  It was a lot of fun.  A bit chilly but that didn't stop the girls from getting out there.  It was nice walking around the neighborhood having people with lights on.  In our little area people don't really turn on their lights and had out candy.  So a big thank you to the Dickerson's for letting us go with them.  Here are a few pictures...

 This is before we headed out in the cold.  Wanted to get their pictures before their jackets covered up their costumes.  Ava, Madison and Abbi.

Carli just before heading out...to trick or treat.  She was not completely thrilled.  She says she is too old to trick or treat but she doesn't like to stay home to long by herself.  So she went with us to the dickerson's to trick or treat.  Her she is at their front door.  Doesn't she look thrilled to be there? 

I decided we needed to take a picture of Madison with all her loot when we got home.  She absolutely loves Halloween.

Okay...now on to some craftiness.  I have been making some stuff for a craft fair/bazaar that I am going to be at this weekend.  Since we live in Hokie land...aka...Virginia Tech land I thought I should make a few things that were Virginia Tech.

 These are post-it note holders with a pen.  This is one of the tutorials I found to make these...tutorial.

Here are some magnets.

Hopefully tomorrow I will have a few more things made.  Have a good one!

Fun Weekend

What a great weekend.  Friday night I got to go to a Scrapbook crop night.  I met some new friends and had a blast.  Hopefully I will get to go again soon.  They were having it all day Saturday too, but I didn't get to go!  My hubby loves to hunt and since he works hard all week, his hunting day is Saturday.

While he went hunting on Saturday I took the kids to the fall Festival in Christiansburg.  We had a lot of fun, but it got a little chilly.  It warmer when we left the house so we only took sweatshirts.  By the time we got there it was a lot cooler, so we didn't stay as long as we wanted too but we did get a few fun things in.

We went on a hayride twice.  Madison thought is was awesome...Carli was just there because we were..hehee.

 After the hayride we had to go check out some other festivities.  We found bracelet making and face painting.  Of course neither wanted to do the same so we did both.

It really was a fun day and the girls enjoyed themselves.

Today, Shawn asked if I wanted to take a ride out on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Basically it is a two lane road with pull offs so that you can see the beautiful views.  Of course this time of year is the best since the leaves are changing.  My favorite time of year!   We packed lunches after lunch, grabbed our sweatshirts, and my camera and headed out the door.  It really was a nice drive.  We stopped at a few pull offs, checked out the view and took some pictures. Below are a few pictures we took while out on the road.

It really was a great day!  After our drive it was back home for dinner, laundry, and getting stuff around for the week.  The kids are not thrilled about school tomorrow, but other than that a great weekend!

Christmas Gift With Purchase

Hello followers!  During the month of October you can get a FREE Festive Paper Piercing Pack when you purchase the Ornament Keepsake stamp set and the Candlelight Christmas Special Designer Series Paper Bundle.  How awesome is that? Click HERE to find out how!

Playing With Color~Happy Birthday

Happy Friday!  I am so ready for the weekend!  Why?  Because I like to sleep in.   I am sooo NOT a morning person!  Hope you are all having a great day.

My card today is based on this sketch by Cardabilities sketch#60.  I am so a sketch junkie. I just need sketches to get my mojo juices flowing.  Along with the sketch challenge I played along with the Playing with Colors Challenge my upline does on her blog.  The colors this week are Pool Party, Limeade, Chocolate Chip and a Neutral.  I am a day late on posting the playing with colors challenge...sorry about that.  Got my card done but then never got a picture of it.  Anyway...head over to Chat's blog and Jean's blog to see what their creations!

 Oh, and I just have to say that my new Vagabond is AWESOME!  Thank you to my wonderful hubby for getting it for me.  I was able to make a few layouts and cards and cutting out my die cuts was so easy and my arm doesn't hurt afterwards.  YEAH!


Hope you all have a great weekend!

Fall

Good morning. Hope you are all having a great Sunday!  We started out great!  Hubby and I got to sleep in. Yep...I love Saturday and Sunday mornings.  Homemade Stromboli for lunch.  It was delish!  I make so much that I had enough left for 4 left over strombolis.  It is what hubby will be eating for the next few days for lunch.  

I did some scrapbooking last night.  I am just slowing catching up on photos I come across that haven't been scrapped.  This layout is using the sketch from this weeks sketch challenge over at Nuts About Sketches.  I usually always end up changing the size of the photos from the sketch...but still try to follow most of the sketch. Just gives me a good blueprint especially when I feel like scrapping but have no mojo to figure out how the layout should go.  

The pictures in the layout were taken in 2009 at the Fall Festival in Largo, Fl.   I took Madison and we went with our neighbors Michelle and her daughter Ave (in photo).  Madison is older than Ava but she always loved playing and hanging out with her.  

Recipe:

Paper:Regal DSP, Crumb Cake

Stamps: Days of Gratitude, Alphabet set, 

Accessories: Buttons, glue dots, ink 

Being Published

I am super excited!  I received an email from someone who works for Papercraft Inspiration Magazine that is Britain's best-selling papercraft and card-making magazine.  She asked me if I would like to have one of my cards featured in their magazine.

She said she found my Christmas card HERE that they would like to feature in one of their two pay layouts. I am so excited, because she actually found it and I didn't submit it.  How awesome is that.  It just goes to show you never know who is looking at your blog.

The magazine is based in Britain, but of course I hope I will be able to get my hands on one when it is published.  Can't wait to see it.

For You

Hi!  Thanks for stopping by.  I am so excited that I have gotten back to my craft table.  My new Vagabond is working great.  LOVE it!  With the help of my new Vagabond and my pain pills, my arm didn't hurt after crafting tonight.  YEAH me.

My card today started with this weeks sketch from Retro Sketches.  I just came across this sketch challenge blog a few weeks ago.  Love their sketches.  And as we all know I love sketches.  I pulled out my one of my favorite paper packs Floral District DSP.  I just love this paper pack.  I also used Crumb Cake and Rich Razzleberry Cardstock and Ink.  The sentiment is from the stamp set A Word For You.   I may have to do another card with this sketch but thought I would share the first!

I hopefully will be back in a few days with some more cards and layouts. I haven't done a lot of scrapbooking lately and I want to get back to it.  As I have been browsing blogs for inspiration I see lots of Halloween crafts.  They are all great, but you other than maybe a layout or two, you will not see them here.  I am just not a big fan of Halloween.  I know a lot of people love it...and that is great.  But I am just not one of them so you won't see Halloween cards or anything here.  I will probably do some more fall cards  and of course Lots more Christmas cards.  With my birthday being on Christmas Day it is a double reason to love Christmas.  I would celebrate it for 6 months if I could...heeheehee.

Now on to a bit of non crafty stuff.  I think my hubby is finally to the point he won't have to work so much over time. YEAH!  Don't get me wrong I so thankful that he has a job and it is secure.  but he has been working so much overtime that it was just wearing him out.  I am glad that he is now back to normal hours.  Still working a few extra hours but not like he was.   He is getting excited to go hunting.  Yep...archery starts tomorrow here.  He loves to hunt and I think he just likes being out in the woods, in nature.  He is also planning a hunting trip to Michigan which he really needs.  And I am really excited that during that time my sister and mom might try to come down to visit us.  Fingers crossed Amber can get away for a few days and get here.  The girls are excited so hopefully she and mom will get down and we will be able to have a girls week while hubby is enjoying his week in Michigan hunting!

**side note:   Thank you to my sweet hubby this morning.  In had to take the dog out, at that time I decided to take the trash out.  For some reason I had my phone in my hand, which normally when I take the dog for a walk I never take my phone.  So what did I do...as I go outside and shut the door...I realize I locked myself out. YEPPERS. Locked out!  Don't get me wrong I have done this before...thankfully though this is the first time in a since we have lived her in Virginia the last year.  Needless to say I called hubby and he came home and unlocked the door for me.  He wasn't annoyed or upset or anything.  Just came home and let me in.  So thank you, honey!  I love you!

Check-Up

If you are a follower of mine you know I have some back issues and arm issues.  For the most part I always have pain somewhere.

I normally try to get a check-up on my arm every few years.  The last time I had my arm checked was probably back in 2007 when they discovered my osteoporosis and arthritis.  After having some pain in my arm for quite some time I decided to have an x-ray again just to be sure.  My doctor here said that it seemed clear. I  also sent my images to  Dr. Supinski (he now practices in KY) who helped to originally diagnose my cancer and also did my arm surgery.  He called a few days ago and gave me the all clear.  No cancer.  Yeah.  Both doctors did say that there is now severe osteoporosis and arthritis but I pretty much new that.  Dr. Supinski did say though that because of all the osteoporosis and arthritis there may be a shoulder replacement in my future.  That was  a bit of a surprise because no one has ever mentioned that before.  I won't have to have anything for a while.  For now I will try to manage my pain with pain medicine.  But even if I have to have the replacement I can definitely deal with that.

Now there is no lingering question of if the cancer is back. Now I know when I have the pain it is the other stuff.  And like i said I can deal with those.  It may mean not crafting for a day or two or three...or taking some pain meds.  I am okay with that.  Just glad I got the all clear.  So I am now at almost 22 years of being cancer free.  YEAH!

My New Vagabond

Have you ever seen one of these?  Well I hadn't until just last week thanks to  Karen over at The Sweetest Thing blog.  She and others were doing a blog challenge sharing their craft space. When I looked and saw this.  I saw it in her post as well as a few others and wondered what the heck?  What is it you ask...a Vagabond.  Yep..that is what it is.  I never heard of it but when I searched it and saw it was an electric/power die cut machine I got so excited. 

If you have read any of my previous posts you know I have arm and back issues.  I have had them checked over the years and am all good.  My arm pain is basically a culmination of a few things.  My cancer in 1990, then I fell and broke the same arm and had to have a metal rod and screws permanently put in my arm to hold it together.  With those things I have no cushion between my arm and shoulder.  I also have Osteoperosis and arthritis in my shoulder.  My most recent x-ray say that I have Severe Osteoperosis and arthritis.  I also have no real muscle function either.  Sadly I am right handed and all this is in my right arm.  So when I use it, it doesn't take long to start hurting.  

Anyway...while crafting I was finding that when I was using my manual die cutting machine (I have a cuttlebug) I was finding that after a card or two my arm was really starting to hurt.  It starts to hurt even with just the pressure from stamping.  So image my delight when I saw this vagabond and that it is electric and all you have to do is push a button.  

Now I never would have spend the money on it myself.  But I did figure it might make a nice Christmas present so I sent the link to my hubby.    Yesterday was his birthday, and he came home for lunch...and what did he do?  Told me he found it for a cheaper price than I did and said that since it is something that will help alleviate some of the pain in my arm and maybe allow me to craft a bit more...he bought if for me.  YEAH!  I am so excited.  It is suppose to be delivered on Tuesday!  I am so hoping I like it and am really hoping it serves it's purpose so that I can craft a bit more! 

I really do have an awesome husband and am so thankful he is so supportive of my hobby.  Thanks Honey!  I love You! 

Happy Birthday to my Hubby!

Just a quick post to wish my wonderful hubby a "HAPPY BIRTHDAY".  I hope you have a wonderful day. Thanks for being an amazing husband.  I hope you have a great birthday!  I love you!

Happy Birthday

Hi. Hope you are all having a great week. All is well here.   Sat down and did some scrapping.  Got my smaller sewing machine working and have been playing with that.  It is still definitely a learning process.  I broke my big sewing machine in this process.  Yep...sure did!  So before I go out and spend money on another I really just need to perfect actually being able to use one.  With that being said I will stick with my smaller one until I get the hang of it.  Will I get the hang of it?  That is the million dollar question. Just when I think I have it down...something bad happens.  I either jam the machine, or go all crooked with my "straight" lines...so I end up not having straight lines.  But all I can say is PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE.  Oh, and FYI, I don't sew on anything else.  I don't sew clothes, or make other projects.  I just don't know how.  Guess I should have paid better attention in Highschool Home Ec class. 

Now on to my card.  I made this card base on this weeks sketch from Karen over at The Sweetest Thing.  I love her sketches and am always inspired by all the great examples from the design team.   If you haven't checked out her sketches you really should.  I think she posts a new one every 2 weeks on Sunday.  She is super duper talented and I get a lot of inspiration from her.  Anyway...if you want to play along with this sketch head over to her blog and play along.  

 My card base is Crumb Cake cardstock.  Yes...this is my go too color.  I love Crumb Cake.  I buy this A LOT! All the pattern paper is from Twitterpated DSP.  LOVE...LOVE...LOVE this paper pack as well.  So fun.  As you can see I did stitching around the edge.  YES, I started out trying to make it straight then after about 2 seconds realized it was not going to be.  Oh, well.  Like I said still working with it and playing and trying to perfect my machine stitching.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!