NEW AWARD LAUNCHING TODAY!

Hey All! Hope you had a great weekend! I'm a little under the weather here today. I started with a cold last night, and I'm a little miserable today, but that didn't stop me from making some stuff! LOL I have a few things I wanted to share with all of you. One thing is a brand new award that I have personally created and am launching today. And, as I'm sure you have already noticed, I've done some decorating here at the old blog. Now, on to the cards. . .




How cute are they? This stamp is from a series called "Anthony & Burt". I bought it from Little C's which is my blogging friend Jen's new online store. You can visit it here. She has great prices and gets things to you right away. I love this stamp! I colored them with markers, cut them out and matted them with foam squares on top of the "frog skin" background made from using the "bubbles" Cuttlebug embossing folder (which looks like frog skin!) Did the mounting of that piece on regular cs added the sentiment (which by the way I came up with and was created on my computer), added the dew drops on the bottom and done. Here are a couple of close ups:






My very sweet blogging buddy Tammy Hershberger surprised me this week and sent me a ton of stamped Halloween images from "My Favorite Things" along with the sweetest card using one of them:




Is this not the sweetest card?!?! You really should go see her blog, she has some awesome talent and her cards are incredible! Below are the images she sent me:





Sorry Tammy, but I was so excited to get them that I started cutting them out to use when I realized I had not photographed them yet! That's why some are missing in the photo above! I used some of them to make my next card:





The minute I saw the cauldron with the flourishes I got the idea for this card. I cut out the cauldron that Tammy sent me, but I did not cut out the flourishes that came with it. Instead, I stamped my own flourishes onto a mottled green paper. Then I cut out those cute bottles with potion ingredients, colored them, and applied them to scalloped circles made with my Nesties (by the way, Hobby Lobby is now selling them in their stores and you get to use the 40% coupon on them too!). I then attached them and the cauldron with foam mounting squares for depth, stuck on a bunch of orange and purple crystals, cut out and matted the sentiment she sent me and done! Oh, the bat on the cauldron is made with a Martha Stewart punch. Here are a couple of close ups:








With all the images she sent, you can count on a few more Halloween cards from me in the next few days. Once I get those out of my system I'll move on to Autumn!



And lastly, I was nominated again by a couple of sweet, sweet, people for the same award. Sankari W. who is a new visitor to my blog and creates wonderful cards (click on her name), and Sue at Sue's Stamping Stuff who I have admired for months now (go see her creations by clicking her name), both gave me the "I "heart" Your Blog" award last week which is displayed proudly in my awards column.



So I wanted to thank them so much for thinking so highly of me that they would do that. Normally, I don't continue the award string because most of you have them already, and they sort of become like chain mail! LOL However, I think it is important to recognize those out there who inspire us. To me, it's not so much an award as it is a statement of liking your blog and admiring your work. So, I've created my own award that I'm launching today. I've created it using one of my own favorite original photographs. It simply says "You Inspire Me". I'm going to name those people that I would like to have this inaugural award because I do love their blogs, and I am inspired by them daily. If you feel the same about someone, pass it on to those who inspire you, however no strings attached to this one other than giving it to those who inspire you too. Here is the award, and underneath are the people that I want to receive it:



Jenn - Kiyomi Krafts
Jen - Pieces of Me
Jodi - Inked Inspirations
Tammy - Stamp Happy
Rita - Rita's Little Corner
Dee Dee - Scrappin' with Dee Dee
Jane - Scossie Jane
Janine - 2bKrafty
Julie - Out to Impress
Pat - The Rubbermaid
Deb Neerman - Paper, Ink, Scissors, & Stamps
Denise - Denise Loves Stamps
Glee - Gleefully Done
Juliann - Pixie Shire
Sue - Sue's Stamping Stuff
Danielle - Wild Dragonfly Designs
Adrienne - Scrappin' with Adrienne
Jamie - Stamp This
Judy - Designs by Nanny
Joanne - Stamps 4 Sanity
Toni - Whimsical Thoughts



There is my inaugural 21 list! I guess you just right click the award picture and re-size it to fit where ever you are going to "hang" it. You all deserve this because you are all talented and creative, you have all inspired me is so many ways, and you have been consistent visitors to my blog with nothing but positive, uplifting, supportive comments that I so appreciate. You are all the best! As I visit other blogs as I do all week, I'll be giving more awards.


Don't forget the pic of the week below!


As always, thanks for spending some of your time visiting me. I'll see you on your blogs!


Best,


Curt O'Brein
"God help me be the person my dog thinks I am."