Hello Crafty Friends! I am back today with cards for the hop! This is Day 4 of my Holiday card series over on YouTube, so you have a treat today...not just a blog post but a video! 

You can check out all the details for the hop at the Build Your Holiday Stash blog. Don't forget to link up to be eligible for some awesome prizes! 

I used digital images from Not 2 Shabby Shop for today's post and video. I colored these images up with my Ohuhu markers. I like to color in the living room in the evenings while watching TV with my husband.

I hope you enjoy watching the video.

A Close Up Look at the Cards.

Not 2 Shabby: Gingerbread Latte Digital Image

Not 2 Shabby: Cup of Cheer Free Digital Image

 

Build Your Holiday Stash Blog Hop | Falling for the Holidays! Day 2

I am back today with my project that I created from the leftover Mystery Collection pieces I used in yesterday's post. I am a sponsor of the Build Your Holiday Stash Blog Hop again and the prize I am offering are 3 Christmas themed Mystery Collections. 

You can read all about Mystery Collections in yesterday's blog post. I explain what they are and where you can purchase them. 

Using my leftover pieces I created 3 gift tags to use on holiday gifts. I didn't have a whole lot of scraps so I went with a strip method. I also didn't want the tags to be such a stark white so I used my distress oxide inks in Frayed Burlap and Tea Dye to give them some color. I colored up the owl again for all 3 tags and used him and the adorable sentiment on the tags in small circles so the strips could still be highlighted. I then used the twine that came in the collection to create the "tassel" on my tag. Super quick project to do!

Copic Colors Used: 

Owl's Body: E25, E23, E21

Owl's Scarf: R39, R37, RR35

These are all the scraps that were leftover from the 

Mystery Collection I used. I still have the stamp 

to go in my stash!

Thanks for stopping by...be sure to enter in the Build Your Holiday Stash blog hop for a chance to win some fabulous prizes! See you tomorrow! 

 

Falling for the Holidays Blog Hop: Build your Holiday Stash

 

I am so excited to be here today and I am also one of the sponsors on the hop. 

I am offering for the prizes 3 different Christmas themed Mystery Collections. What is a mystery collection you ask? Well let me tell you! A Mystery Collection is a subscription you can purchase over at Not 2 Shabby Shop (also a sponsor). 

A Mystery Collection typically includes: 6 pieces of pattern paper, a stamp, and 3 various embellishments. For my project today I have taken a Mystery Collection and shown just what you can do with such a small amount of supplies.

Here is a picture of what my Mystery Collection included.

And I created 6 cards using a Sheetload of Cards from Call Me Crafty Al. She is over on YouTube and if you do not know about her, please check her out....those sheetloads are fantastic!

Here we go all laid out and ready to assemble!

My 6 finished cards. I will go back a bit later and put some sentiments on the 4 that don't have sentiments. Or, you could do without. I wanted to show what you could do by just using the kit contents.

This is what I had leftover. This will be tomorrow's project to submit! Just enough paper scraps to make some tags!

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to enter your projects in the blog hop to win. Listed below is the link for the Build Your Holiday Stash Blog...where you can find all the details for the hop. 

Build Your Holiday Stash Blog

Not 2 Shabby Day | Pink and Main Butterfly Sketches

 

Thanks for joining me on my blog! I post a Not 2 Shabby day video each Thursday so I hope you will join me sometimes. I am thrilled today to enter my card into the Color Throwdown Challenge, I have always wanted to do that but just never got around to it. So, very excited to enter! 

Links for all Products

Not2ShabbyShop: https://www.not2shabbyshop.com/?AffId=53 Pink and Main: Butterfly Sketches Stamp Set: https://www.not2shabbyshop.com/Butterfly-Sketches_p_16221.html/?AffId=53 Not 2 Shabby Faux Embossed Watercolor Slimline Paper Pad Sold Out...so sorry :( Pink and Main Essential Pearls: https://shrsl.com/35xun Pink and Main Butterfly Sketches Dies: https://shrsl.com/35xus

It's Been A Long Road...a life update

 

I want to share a story with you today...a true one and a continuing one. I have often been in my life an oversharer and today is no exception to that. I want to share about a journey I recently decided to go on.

It began in December of 2020..I decided it was time to take my life back...to give some background...I had a second knee operation in October of 2016 and let's just say it did not go as well as the first one...it was always painful, rehab didn't go well, and it just plain hurt to walk. I also ran a business that had me sedentary and so I just settled into that way of life. I also was experiencing panic attacks and depression so I of course turned to my physician for some assistance. I was prescribed medication and things improved, but not my overall health. I was still sedentary and did not have a ton of energy. Well, in December of 2020 I closed the business and decided to truly retire...(I had retired in 2012 from teaching, only to open a business a year later). I also decided it was time to take back my healthy lifestyle I had prior to the knee surgery. 

I began by taking myself off all medications...now I also have hypothyroidism which caused my Doctor great alarm when I finally got around to going, oh in April of 2021. You see it took that many months to detox (if that is a good way to put it) from the constant stress of owning a business. So, when I went to see her in April I informed her I wanted to heal my hypothyroidism and get healthy again with exercise and diet. 

Reluctantly, she agreed and approved of me going to see a holistic physician (one who specialized in thyroid issues) and a nutritionist. So off I went...it took a while to get those appointments so I began the best I could on my own  changing my diet...and from April 13th-June 29th I lost 15.5lbs! 

First progress photo taken on May 24th

I saw the holistic physician on June 29th and the nutritionist on June 30th...together they agreed a Paleo Diet was what was best to begin the healing process. I can tell you it has not been a very easy road, thus the reason my crafting and YouTube channel suffered. Because I tell you this diet and adjusting to it took a toll on  my emotions and just was plain not easy. 

On June 28th hubby and I decided to join a gym and have been very diligent about going 5 days a week. I began with training sessions with a fitness instructor and I can say that  is one of the  best things I have ever done for health and well-being outside of deciding to take my life back. He pushed me to always do my best and when it got harder he said keep going, You can do it!  I am taking water aerobics classes and go to those 5 days a week in addition to treadmill and strength training I am getting stronger and more fit each day.

Adjustment to the change in diet has become much easier. I am sticking to it 6 days a week and have 1 day I can  eat outside of my diet but yet still within reason and continuing to eat healthy. I am so thankful for these persons that came into my life to help during such a difficult time adjusting. I am also very thankful to my support corner, my best friend Kimberly and my husband!

So as I continue on with this challenging new way of eating I will press on and continue to improve in both body, mind, and spirit! My YouTube channel is getting back to normal as of this month so I hope you can join me over there and gain some inspiration from my crafting!

Second progress photo: taken August 19

And as of Today September 7th I have lost a total of 31.6lbs since I began this journey in April 2021!

Build Your Stash Holiday Christmas in July Hop

 

Hello Everyone, I am so thrilled to be joining my friends over at the Build Your Holiday Stash Facebook group and blog for this "Christmas in July" hop!  

I adore, adore, ADORE making Christmas cards...and if anyone saw my Christmas cardmaking stash they would think the same thing! 

So, I hope you can get some inspiration from this hop and  get started on your holiday cards!

I used a Christmas Plaid paper pad that was in my stash, some random embellishments, and Sketch 11 from  the FB group to create 14 cards!

I do have some leftovers and would love to send them along to  someone...to be eligible to win the leftovers please leave a comment below and let me know  "How many Christmas cards do you send out each year?"

Oh, and another thing I am  a sponsor of this hop as well and pictured below is my prize package. To be eligible to win a prize from me or one of the other fabulous sponsors just make sure you link up a Christmas project to the Build Your Holiday Stash Blog and then you will be entered for a chance at a prize.

Thanks for hopping and Happy Christmas Card Making!

There's A Stamp for That Challenge Blog + Some Exciting News

 

I was chosen just recently to join a Challenge Design Team over on Facebook that I am a member of. I have participated several times in their challenges and the owner of the group (Danni) is just a lovely lady. The group has challenges that run for two weeks at a time. Each challenge typically has 3 different themes you can choose from for your entry. I will be posting every other Friday in the group my inspiration for the challenge. 

The current challenge's themes are: Frogs, Paper Piecing, or Freshly Made Sketch #458

I would love to have you join the There's A Stamp for That Challenge Group.

For my inspiration this time I have used the 12x12 Collection "Fern & Willard" by PhotoPlay and the March 2021 Sheetload sketch from Call Me Crafty Al on YouTube.