OMGosh, So Many Thanks, and So Much News!

I have so much to tell you. I don't really know where to begin. I am at a loss for words.

Or, not so much. First of all, I want to send a shout-out to my sister, Barbara, who had her knee replacement surgery yesterday. She was doing quite well the last time I heard, thank goodness! I expect she will have a great recovery like my other sister, Merrilyn, did! Big hugs to you, Barbara!

Secondly, I have some thank-yous to spread around blog-land! You know there are so many fabulous peeps out there in the ether!

Many thanks to MayzyArt and 7 Kids College Fund for the recent goodies that I won on your challenges! I love when that happens! 

I would like to thank Pryn Garritan, (of So Not Mocha-vated), again for her gift to me of some beautiful bird stamps and some wonderful fibers. I received these for a prize from her after the Outlawz 2000-member party! I finally managed to make a card with them. I hope I did them justice, Pryn. It took me a long time to make, because I had to learn how to color birds first--Class 5 at CMC, (thank you to Suzanne Dean!).  

I also received a wonderful prize from Colleen Holmes, creator of The Outlawz Challenges, after that 2000-member party--a great gift card to Oozak.com. I bought some fabulous Memory Box dies from Rusty--he is wonderful to work with--his prices are great, and he ships immediately! So thank you to Colleen and Rusty!

More recently I received a fabulous package of goodies, (from stamps to an embossing folder to a letter press to adhesive) from Teresa Gray of Mommamea's Favorite Things. She generously gave me this wonderful gift for her 50-member blog candy and for commenting on her blog! She's so sweet--thank you again, Teresa!

And last, but certainly not least, I am going to receive a gift of stamps from Kristen Combs of Pearl Gateway, for commenting on her blog. How nice is that, too? I so appreciate it, Kristen! I am looking forward to receiving the package from you. Thank you again!

Now to my news. I mentioned, in my last post, that I am currently a guest designer for The Outlawz Sketch group, which I so appreciate--my thanks to Sandi Huggett, of Sandi's Samples, for inviting me! I am always honored to serve with a team of talented ladies! :^)

And I have more news! Colleen Holmes, of The Outlawz fame, is also the owner/publisher of the ezine,  Through the Craft Room Door. This magazine was originally started by Suzanne Dean and Marti Willis. Colleen has taken over the magazine, and developed it into a unique publication! (If you don't have a subscription yet, why not get one! You'll get wonderful free digis and lots of tutorials and other great info!) Anyway, Colleen asked me to become a design team member on the TTCRD DT! I am again very honored to be asked, and will begin submitting my designs on September 18. Thank you again, Colleen! :^)

And yet, even more news. I have also been asked by Lady Anne Milnes-Howard to be on her Wednesday DT for her website Lady Anne's Paper Crafts. I will begin my submittals on September 26th. Once more, I am honored to be asked to join a design team. Thank you again, too, Lady Anne! :^)

Also, I would be remiss if I didn't mention this as well. Jennifer Scull, of Just Coffee Please...& Stamps & Ribbons & Paper, contacted me yesterday about doing a guest design spot on Jellypark Friends Friday Challenges this fall, with a potential regular term this winter! Another honor for me! I will guest design in November. Thanks so much, Jennifer! :^)

I will have another announcement soon. I have not been given the go-ahead to make that news public yet. So stayed tuned!

What on earth did I do to deserve all this goodness coming to me? I really can't comprehend all of this, honestly! I am thrilled beyond belief; I just hope I can live up to the talent of the DT members I will be joining! Send me good vibes, please!

OK, back down to earth. (Did you hear the crash from there? No? It was a pretty big one! I scared my dog.) I have a card to show you that I made for my first DT, Create with TLC. (My thanks to Paulette at TLC for honoring me with my first official DT membership! And we are having another blog hop on the 30th with freebies for everyone who stops by--so be sure to put that on your calendar!) I have been busy with so many things this past week that I have been unable to create as much as I would have liked. But I think I am back to normal now, (oh, help, what does that mean?). 

As an aside, I have also been dealing with drafting for my two fantasy football teams. Yup. I am a glutton for punishment, it appears. At least I am not in any leagues that cost money this year. I nearly had a nervous breakdown over a money league last year! It was too stressful! So wish me luck with those as well. OK, sorry. I am almost 100% certain that you didn't really care to hear about that. But I had to mention it. (She made me. She is pretty bossy sometimes.)

Okey dokey. Back to the card. I colored, with my Copics, (now there's a shock),  two birds, (by Martha Stewart), that I stamped on Cryogen CS with Memento ink. (Gosh, did you notice all the commas in that last sentence? Who writes like that anyway?) I used a Create with TLC sentiment that I printed on Stampin' Up CS. The DP that I chose is from the Prima Songbird collection. I managed to die cut several pieces from the following dies: Spellbinders Twisted Metal Tags and Accents, Memory Box Branch and Distressed Tag, and two Marianne Designs leaf flourishes. I added some cheesecloth from my stash; flowers, pins, and flat-back pearls by Wild Orchid Crafts; and several Queen and Company pearls. I accented the birds with a bit of white gel pen.  I cut out my birds, (I didn't hurt them, so don't call the ASPCA on me), after I colored them with the following Copics: YG0000, BG90, BG93, BG96, YR00, YR21, YR24, YR27, YR61, TR65, YR68, E40, E41, E42, E43, E44, E57, E59.

I am entering The Outlawz CPC Challenge Anything Goes at the last minute again. My apologies to their wonderful DT! I am also entering:

Craft Your Passion Floral Images
Inky Impressions Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly Anything Goes
Simon Says Put a Stamp on It
The Paper Shelter Tag You're It

Hoping you all have a fabulous upcoming weekend! Gary and I are going to the season opener of our Arizona Cardinals! Woohoo! ;^)