Road to Nowhere

Good evening fellow bloggers and anyone else who happens across my little blog.  A fairly productive weekend even with fighting off some bog.  Apparently there is something going around and I was privileged enough to catch it.  Oh well...at least it isn't as bad as the cold I had last December.

I'm trying to get some Father's Day cards done to post at my Etsy shop before the end of the month...can you believe it is already the 15th --- time sure does move fast.  I've been in a retro grungy sort of mood lately (might be because I am under the weather) so some of the latest creations have a 50s feel to them.  The Nifty Fifties Cricut Cartridge certainly has been very useful and has a ton of images I can't wait to use.  A lot of cool images to cure your retro urges.  I added some pearl glitter to the headlights for a little shimmer.

A close-up of the car and the panels.

A close-up of the greeting.

CPS - Card Sketch Weekly Challenge - CPS 218

I was inspired by CPS-Card Sketches Weekly Challenge - CPS 218.  This blog has one of the best sketch designs I have seen.  They are always coming up with something unique and fabulous.  I had a great time cutting out all of the panels and adding stitching to the borders.  The Tim Holtz Idea-ology Retro Grunge paper and sprockets really added a nice touch to the card.  Have I told you guys I am having a love affair with Tim.  Okay..not really with him...more like all of his products.  I would love to meet him one day to tell him face-to-face how much I love all of his stuff.


Card Challenges Entered:
Card Positioning Systems Weekly Sketch Challenge - CPS 218 
Creative Belli Blog - Challenge 117: Starts with an "S" Challenge (my "S" is sprocket)
Emerald Faerie Garden - First Challenge: Anything Goes
Inspire Me Fridays - Anything Goes
Lothian Crafts Online - Easel Card
One Stitch at a Time Challenge Blog - Challenge 62: Anything Goes
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge - Challenge 53 Anything Goes
Stamp, Scrap & Doodle Saturdays - Old Supplies Challenge (old supplies used: red buttons, sprockets, brad, and glitter)
Wags n' Whiskers Stamps - Challenge 54: Circles 
Sew Many Challenges - Anything Goes

Recipe
Cream Cardstock
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Retro Grunge Paper
My Mind's Eye Complete Boy Paper
Red, Black, Silver Cardstock for the Retro Car
Tim Holtz Idea-ology Sprockets
Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad - Vintage Photo
Buttons
Machine Stitching
Embroidary Thread

Shaken, Not Stirred - Father's Day Card

Good evening everyone.  I had a great mother's day with my mommy.  We spent an hour waiting to have brunch at this great place in San Francisco - Brenda's French Soul Food.  Oh my GAWD!!!  It was worth the wait.  If you live in the city or are just here visiting...you should totally check it out and order yourself up some Crawfish Beignets.  I love my mom dearly.  We do a lot of things together.  I know this is going to sound corny..but she is my best friend. I look forward to spending many more mother's days (and everyday) with her.

So...its been awhile since I have posted.  April was a busy month with gearing up for our Annual Easter Party and work related adventures.  I'm hoping as always to be able to post some new creations at least once a week.  I know everyone (at least those who actually take the time to blog) says that --- but I'm gonna at least try.

Enough with the excuses and resolutions and on to a new card I created for Father's Day.  I can say that I always struggle a little creating Father's Day cards.  Probably because I do not have a lot of masculine looking do-dads (pun intended) to embellish the card.  I could go for the old stand by and make a tie card...but my pop doesn't wear ties.  I decided this year that I would focus on some unique looking "masculine" cards that any non-tie wearer would love.

Inspired by Card Patterns Weekly Sketch Blog's Sketch 114 Challenge, I went a little retro-Mad Men-chic with this card.  Here is the Sketch Challenge Picture...

Here is what I came up with...

I really loved the idea of the little border circles on the challenge.  I thought adding the olives would be cool accents. I used vellum paper and wrapped it around the center of the card.  I like the effect it gives to the paper underneath.  Here are a few more pics.

Materials Used:
Black Card Stock for the Base
Olive Cardstock from Bazzill Basics
Moonrise by SEI
Vellum Paper
Stamping Ink
Nifty Fifties Cricut Cartridge

Card Challenges Entered:
Card Patterns Weekly Sketch Blog - Sketch 114 Challenge
Sentimental Sundays - Anything Goes Challenge
Divas By Design - Anything Goes Challenge 
The Craft Pad - Spots & Dots Challenge 120
Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge - Give Us A Quote/Sentiment Challenge

Frisky Cat

I woke up this morning...poured myself a cup of coffee..and started reading some of the blogs I subscribe to.  I came across a challenge using recycled items.  What a great idea.

I looked around my room and then ventured into the garage to see what I had laying around.  As soon as I walked back in my room, my cat came in after his morning restroom stop wanting his breakfast.  I opened up his can..washed it out for recycling...and was about to toss it in the recycling bin when it hit me.  I had the perfect item for a few challenges - the cat food label.

Needless to say, the label was wet after I washed the can out.  No worries..I just went to the grocery store the other day and had bought a ton of food for the my little darlings.  I ripped off a few labels, broke out the Cricut and the Nifty Fifties cartridge, got the sewing machine out, and started my project for the day.  The card is pretty heavy.  There are a lot of layers.

It is going to definitely be interesting the next couple of feedings...I have know idea what the cats are going to eat.  At least I ripped off labels from a variety of cans.

I have entered my Frisky Cat card in the following challenges:
Our Creative Corner - Don't Throw That Away
Card Makin Mamas - Challenge 17 - Animals
Paper Cutz Challenge - Challenge #83 - Anything Goes
Clear It Out Tuesday - Challenge #2 - Buttons
Papertake Weekly Challenge - Trio Tastic
Totally Gorjuss - Button It
Sugar Creek Hollow - Anything Goes 
My Grafico - Anything Goes Monthly Challenge 
Charisma Cardz Challenges - Challenge 11: To Die For 
Wild Orchid Challenge - Challenge 19: Dieing to Punch it Out  
Shelly's Images - Show Us What You Got: Anything Goes 

WISH ME LUCK!