Lilacs...

It may seem a bit late to some of you for lilacs, but ours here up North are at peak right now! It smells so good when we walk outside, or even just have our windows open. The air is just saturated with the scent! We live in my Grandmother's old house, and when we were growing up, there were a couple of big lilac trees. Years ago, my father dug up babies from those two trees, and planted them in a row along the back of our yard. We now have a total of 14 lilac trees lining our yard. This year they are covered with blossoms, and they are a sight to behold. I thought I would share a few photos I took over the weekend. --Keri

Fishy Friends Birthday

I finally took all those words of wisdom from Purple Onion Designs owner Michele, and put them to good use. She taught me everything I know about MCP aka Magic Colored Pencil. There was a challenge going on over on SCS for birthday cards to be sent to Shane Bernier, the little boy who is sick from Ontario, Canada, and wants to break a record for receiving the most birthday cards. The challenge was to use Tempting Teal, Cool Caribbean, and Marigold Morning to create a birthday card for Shane. I decided to use SU! Fishy Friends and Simply Circles, & Purple Onion Designs Birthday sentiment and Circles sets.

I used a Jet Black Staz On ink pad and colored the images using Prismacolor colored pencils, Windsor and Newton Sansador, and blending stumps.

I used Cool Caribbean ink for the background circles. The coloring was really intense, but I love the way it turned out! Happy Birthday Shane, I hope you made your goal! --Keri

Our new little girl!

Yesterday we welcomed our newest family member, Brodie Blue, to our household! She is an Australian Cattle Dog, aka Blue Heeler. This is the type of dog I grew up with on the farm, and ever since those two dogs were lost, I have wanted one in the worst way! So she is a combined Christmas, Valentine's, Birthday, Anniversary, Mother's Day gift from Peter and Cody. I have to admit, last night was a little touch and go! She is still quite small, and didn't want to sleep much after 3:30 am. If anyone has any great puppy rearing tips, my ears are wide open...it has been 8 years since we had a pup around, everything is so new!! She is just the cutest little thing ever! Harley doesn't quite know what to think of her...Brodie chases her around the house and Harley runs away scared! I did promise myself that this one will not be afraid of the camera, or the bathtub(unlike Harley!)! Here she is: (and get used to seeing a lot more of her!)

Hello!

Hello everyone! Sorry I have not been around for a couple of weeks. Assuming anyone realized I was gone? As some of you know, and many of you don't, my husband's family and our whole very small tight knit community were the victims of a violent crime a little more than two weeks ago. Peter's cousin was lost, and the whole family and community has been shaken. I am not going into details, but just wanted to thank everyone for their prayers. They did help, and while it won't bring Peter's cousin back, the perpetrator has been apprehended, and your prayers did offer comfort. Take time to hug your family, friends and neighbors. You never know when it may be the last chance you will have. Love, Keri

Flowers for a Friend

Good Wednesday morning! In honor of spring FINALLY arriving in Upstate NY, I made a floral card. I am having such a good time moving from flower bed to flower bed, discovering perennials peeking out for another year! Many that just got planted or transplanted last year have shown their faces, and I am so comforted to know they survived! My lupines made it, as well as the hollyhocks. My clematis shows growth daily, and my newly transplanted trumpet vine made it through the winter!

Here is what I used for this card:

SU! Print Pattern and Flowers for a Friend

Cardstock and Inks include SU! Pretty in Pink, Apricot Appeal, and Barely Banana.

I also used SU! Whisper White CS and Ancient Page Charcoal Black ink.

I distressed the edges of the cardstock with the matching ink color, and I really like how it turned out. Guess I should get started on Mother's Day cards now, huh? Have a great day!--Keri

Citrus for a Sunny Sunday

It is a beautiful Sunday morning! I thought I would share another card I made for a sketch challenge. I am loving these sketches!! I used the SU! retired set Citrus and Such, which I still love after so many years! Here is what I used:

Cardstock-SU! Only Orange, YoYo Yellow, Green Galore, Whisper White

Inks-SU! Only Orange, YoYo Yellow, Green Galore, Pixie Pink

Patterned Paper-Yellow Gingham from Michael's

Ribbon-Michael's $1 rack

I distressed each piece of cardstock with the matching color of ink before assembling, just to add a little depth to the card. it may not show up well in the scan.

Hope you have a great Sunday!--Keri

SCS Challenge!

I have been a Splitcoast Stamper for a long time now. Nearly 3 years! I finally got around to the challenge side of things, and I must say, I think I found my new addiction! Color Combos, Limited Supplies, Sketches, the list goes on. They are so much fun to do! I am not one for a lot of original work, and I hate to CASE everything, so the sketches really take the stress off! I made this one last night. It was for the CC, LSC, and followed this week's sketch! I got a little carried away, but I *love* pink, and the CC was all pinks in honor of the Avon walk.

I used all Doolebug Bazzill and Patterned paper for this card. Their pinks are so beautiful. The ice cream sundae stamp is from Su! retired set Sweet Treats, and the sentiment is from Su! Warm Words. For ink, I use Ancient Page black charcoal(?), Su! Going Gray, and SU! Pretty in Pink for the distressing. I frayed all the edge of the cardstock with the distressing tool from SU!'s cutter kit, and did faux stitching with the white Uniball Signo gel pen. Brads are from Making Memories. I colored the image using the MCP technique, Prismacolors and Sansador. After the coloring was complete, I went over all the lines on the image with a Gelly Roll Clear Stardust Pen. Love that pen!! It turned out really nice, and I managed to follow the criteria for all three challenges! Have a great Saturday! --Keri

Yet *ANOTHER* Bareback Card!?!?

Well, Mom actually ASKED for her stamp set back, so I had to make one last card with it. I had this cute patterned paper from the Wanted collection from Cosmo Cricket that I had gotten with this stamp in mind, so that is what I started with! Here are the supplies I used:

Cardstock:

Su! Cranberry Crisp

Su! Chocolate Chip

Su! Very Vanilla

Cosmo Cricket Wanted

Stamps:

Su! Bareback

Purple Onion Ornamentals

Purple Onion Lettera 32

Su! Canvas Background

Ink:

Su! Basic Brown

Tim Holtz Vintage Photo

Tim Holtz Antique Linen

Other:

Offray Ribbon

Bookplate/Brads

Ticket Corner Punch

Prismacolors/Sansador

Blending Stumps

**I sanded the bookplate with a sanding block to take some of the paint off and make it look worn.