Friday Sketch Challenge Reminder/Nicole's Birthday Card

Aha! I killed two birds with one stone! I made a card for the Friday Sketch Challenge reminder and turned it into a birthday card for Nicole, the dessert chef at The Deli. Pretty smart, huh? Especially with the darling Saturated Canary Have Your Cake and Eat it Too image. Appropo, right?

Oh, speaking of dead birds...how's this for a segue? I let Don out in the yard for his early morning piddle--how do you say that nicely? Anyway, he took much longer than usual, so I looked outside to find out why, and saw a slew of bird feathers in our grassy area. (Yes, we do have a bit of grass; the Midwest in Gary came out with this house, and he couldn't do a completely desert landscape again. Bummer, but at least he does the mowing.) Anyway, something moving caught the corner of my eye. And man, that hurt!!! (Just kidding.) Lo and behold, I had a hawk sitting on my fence. Yes, he was eating the remains of the dead bird. So I did get a couple of pictures of him, gross as this is. If you have a sensitive stomach, don't look, OK? Remember, I gave you fair warning!

I took the photos through the window, (at my highest zoom), as I didn't want to "spook" the bird while he was consuming mass quantities. And, if you look at his crop, you can probably tell that he did eat pretty much an entire bird. This guy is not going to go hungry any time soon. Shortly after I took the last photo, he flew away, leaving a bit of dead bird on the top of my fence and a yard full of feathers. Gary flatly refused to clean it up, so I let the recent rains take care of it. Men.

OK, now that I have completely grossed you out, I will get on with my card. Here is the sketch we are using this fortnight:

This was a fun one to do. I printed my cute image on MICBC and colored her with my Copics:

Skin: E000, E00, E21, E11, E04, R20

Hair: Y21, YR23, E33, 35

Hat/Sweater: R20, R21, R22

Cake: E25, E27

Icing: R20, R21, R22, R43, R46, BG10, BG11, BG13, BG15

Piping Bag: G0000, G000, G12, W0

I added a bit of Wink of Stella Brush Clear to the stars and sparklers on top of the cake. 

My DP is from the October Afternoon Farm Girl collection; I distressed it with my Zutter and paired it with Stampin' Up CS. I used the following dies:

SCACD Fancy Key Corner

Cheery Lynn Happy Birthday

Spellbinders Labels 1 and Decorative Labels 1

My card was finished with WOC flowers & crown pin, some flat-backed pearls, and some lace. And that's it. Like I said, two birds with one stone. Hope Nicole likes it! 

Do check out all the fab inspiration by my talented teammates. And then, please join us for this sketch challenge! Have a great weekend!

The Outlawz Alcohol Markers Anything Goes/Christmas Twist Challenge

Well, are you all out shopping? Or are you going to do it mostly online like I do? Saves gas, wear and tear on the tires, and, oh yeah, my frayed nerves. I rarely venture out on Black Friday. Just the thought gives me the heebie-jeebies.

And did you all have a lovely Thanksgiving? I certainly hope it was filled with love, family, and food. I will blog about mine on a future post.

So let's get to my card for this week. I again chose the Christmas twist because I need more cards to send this year. And I am running out of time. Help?!

I chose Saturated Canary Ugly Christmas Sweater, as I think she is just the cutest. I have had this image for quite a while, and it was high-time I used it! I printed her on MICBC and colored her with my Copics:

Skin: E000, E00, E21, E11, E04, R20

Hair: E11, E13, E15, E18

Christmas Sweater: R05, R08, E19, YG91, YG93, YG95

Blouse: E70, E71, E74

Knit Shirt: YG91, YG93, YG95

Skirt: BG11, BG13, BG15, BG18

Tights: E70, E71, E74

Socks: BG11, BG13, BG15, BG18

Shoes: E70, E71, E74

Bag/Candy Canes: YG91, YG93, YG95, R08

To finish my card, I adhered the image to Stampin' Up CS, added a bit of Liquid Applique to her sweater, added some Washi tape and a little arrow clip. That's it--should be easy to mail, since I don't have layers upon layers on this one, huh? 

Have another post coming today. Please be sure to stop in and check the wonderful creations by my very talented Outlawz teamies. Then get into your coloring groove and join us, won't you?

The Outlawz Alcohol Markers Universal Children's Day Challenge/Tristan's Birthday Card

This week we are challenging you to make a card for a child, for any occasion. This was an easy one for me, since my great-nephew, Tristan, is celebrating his third birthday next Saturday.

I used a darling LaLa Land image, Outlaw Luka, for Tristan's card. I printed him on MICBC and colored him with my Copics:

Skin: E000, E00, E21, E11, E04, R20

Hair: E33, E35, E37

Shirt/Jeans: B32, B34, B37, B39

Vest: G20, G21, G24, N2

Shoes: W2, W4

Trike: G40, G43, G46, N2

Tires: W4, W6, W8

I chose a sketch to use from Seems a Little Sketchy:

And I used DP from the Bo Bunny Zip-a-Dee-Doodle collection, distressed it with my Zutter, and paired it with Stampin' Up CS. Then I added some Prima Tiny Junkyard Findings, my own sentiment, and die cuts made with:

MFT Fishtail Flags Stax

MFT Chevron Stripes

Memory Box Vintage Bicycle

That does it for me this week. Only one card and one post. Amazing, isn't it? Be sure to stop by The Outlawz and check out the wonderful cards made by my talented teamies. And then, please join us this week! 

Have a great weekend!

The Outlawz Alcohol Markers General Thanks/Thanksgiving Challenge

Whew! At last, my third, (and final), card for Friday, November 15, 2013, as it were, or is, or whatever. (I just wanted to see how many commas I could squeeze into a sentence. As it turns out, quite a few. Even if the sentence makes no sense. Thank you for bearing with me.)

And it's now time for another Outlawz Alcohol Markers challenge. Apparently, I am getting slap-happy on my third post of the day. Can you tell?

Before I get to my card, which I forgot to put a Thanksgiving sentiment on--oops, I will catch you up a bit. And, if you don't want to be caught up, just jump on down to my card deets.

Let's see, since last Friday, we have gone out to eat four times; met Cara, (member on Outlawz CAS DT), and her hubby, Nate, Malmrose; gone to see another Cardinals victory, (barely); and lived through Gary's oral surgery. It's been quite a week.

Last Friday night Gary and I met Cara and Nate at Joe's Farm Grill in Gilbert. It is a fun place to go eat, with mostly outdoor seating. (Eat your hearts out, everybody in the cold and snow.) So we had a fun conversation while we chowed down on some decent food outside in the dark. It was really nice to meet another member of The Outlawz DT, and the Malmroses are very sweet people!

Oh, and then Gary and I went to the Liberty Market in downtown Gilbert to try some espresso and cappuccino. Which turned out to be a mistake. I thought the coffee was horribly bitter, although Gary assured me it wasn't compared to Starbucks. Well, nothing is as bitter as Starbucks. That is the essence of their coffee, and I, for one, don't like it--unless it is diluted by flavorings and milk. Anyway, I found that the original espresso E61 can make really crappy coffee, too. So that was no help in our quest for an espresso machine. Still searching.

Saturday evening we met our football friends, Andy and Amy, for dinner at Binkley's in Cave Creek. We had told A & A how wonderful Binkley's is, so they wanted to have dinner there for an evening together. This was the longest meal I have ever had. And also one of the best, if not the best. I opted for 5 courses and Gary chose 6. Not that we are gluttons or anything. Much. (To be fair, when you do the tasting menu, all of the courses are much smaller portions.)

My first course, a cold Duck appetizer is described as: cinnamon breast, rillettes, horseradish crepe, sugar snap peas, Asian pear, mango. (Who dreams up these combinations? I am lucky If I remember to add cheese to macaroni.) Well, knock me over with a feather. This was unbelievably delectable! In fact, I could describe my entire meal that way. It was all over-the-top fantastic!

Second course, a warm appetizer, Pumpernickel Rigatoni: pancetta, quince, pistachio, rapini, saffron creme fraiche. Well, that slid down as easily as the first appetizer. OMG! 

Third course, Nantucket Bay Scallops: scallop gnocchi, zucchini, squash blossom, cippolini onion, pine nuts, yuzu-prosciutto broth. What? It just doesn't get any better than this! Or does it? Well....

The fourth course could have been a ribeye steak, but I opted for the Wagyu beef replacement special of the evening with butternut squash and leek gratin, Brussel sprouts, and chantarelle mushrooms. Holy moly, Rocky. Stop the presses! Did I just die and go to heaven? I must have, because I have never tasted anything like that on earth! How can meat literally melt in your mouth? I have no idea, but it did. It was an extra $19 per ounce, but so totally worth it! (I had a two-ounce portion.)

So my last course was dessert. Which was Sweet Potato-Oatmeal Bread Puddin'. Yup, that's what they called it, and they described it with plums, caramelized figs, oatmeal cookie, maple creme fraiche. Boy howdy, that was just what the meal needed for an ending. How spectacular!

Now I must mention a couple of other things about this meal. Firstly, Gary and I opted for the wine pairings. And they were perfectly matched to each course. WOW! Secondly, I must mention that, although I got five courses, there were a total of 17 things delivered to eat. That's how many extras you get at Binkley's. Just a few little amouse bouche to start, and palate cleansers served between courses. And then, of course, the tiny macaroon to end the evening. Literally, a four-hour dining adventure! (Yes, I said four hours!)

So, if you are ever in the Valley of the Sun, and really, really want to splurge for dinner, I can now recommend two of the best restaurants in the area: Kai and Binkley's. They are truly a cut above the rest. Un. be. liev. a. ble. 'Nuf said.

I do have photos, but have not downloaded them yet from my phone. I may add them in a future post. We'll see.

And hey, after the football game on Sunday, we went to St. Francis for some more really good food. Love their Roasted Salmon Superfood, with quinoa, avocado, spinach, and a sweet chile vinaigrette. So totally yummy and good for you! Oddly enough, I didn't have dessert. After Binkley's, I guess I didn't need that much food the next day!

Gary had oral surgery Monday. He needed an apical root canal, just like I had last March. It went really well, although he needed an extra shot before it was done. After the anesthetic wore off, he did opt for a couple of doses of narcotic pain reliever, (the wuss!), but by Tuesday he was fine, just sore. Which was a good thing. As we had a wine dinner that night at Roy's with friends, Bob and Connie.

Now, I gotta tell ya. The food was so spectacular Saturday night, that not much of anything could touch it. But, we did have a really, really good meal at Roy's, complimented by some wonderful wines. Here's the scoop:

Amuse bouche

Maine Lobster Dim Sum

Petite Shiso, Yuzu Miso Sake Beurre Rouge

served with Domaine Chandon "Blanc de Noirs"

1st Course

Hawaiian Caesar

Furikake Ahi, Sous Vide Hearts of Palm, Baby Romaine, Caesar Dressing

served with JUSTIN Sauvignon Blanc, Central Coast 2012

2nd Course

Georges Bank Sea Scallop

Caramelized Carrot Ginger Puree, Brussels Sprouts, Kaboucha Squash, Lobster Creme

served with Landmark "Overlook" Chardonnay, Sonoma County 2011

3rd Course

Prime New York Strip

Truffle Roasted Mushrooms, Fingerling Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Shaoxing Shiitake Pan Sauce

served with JUSTIN Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles 2011

Dessert

Black Bottom Chocolate Banana Torte

Oreo cookie crust, Banana Pudding, Blackout Cake, Caramelized Bananas, Cashews

served with JUSTIN Obtuse Red Dessert Wine 2011

I loved every bit of it. And ate everything, with the exception of a couple of potatoes--I wanted to make sure I had room for dessert! This was about a two-hour meal. Pretty fabulous, and I will be happy to go there for another wine dinner. Roy's is another favorite of mine: here in the Valley and in Hawaii. (Oh, I took photos Tuesday, too, but somehow forgot to get the steak portion. It was so flavorful, a bit chewy, but wonderful flavor! Of course, these photos are also still on my phone.)

Now to my card for this week's Thanksgiving challenge. I chose LaLa Land Crafts Pilgrim Marci, because she is so cute! I printed her on MICBC and colored her with my Copics and a Twin Touch Brush marker:

Skin: E000, E00, E21, E11, E04, R20

 Hair/Basket: E55, E57, E59

Hat Trim/Cuffs/Apron: C00, C0, C1

Hat/Dress/Shoes: BG13, BG15, BG18

Bread: E50, E51, E53

Apple: E04, E07, TTR1

Grapes: YG61, YG63

My DP came from the Bo Bunny Forever Fall collection; it was distressed with my Zutter and paired with Stampin' Up CS. The rest of my card is comprised of die cuts--what a surprise! I made them with the following:

Cheery Lynn Birch Tree with Cute Critters

Cheery Lynn Winter Neighborhood Border

Memory Box Resting Birds

Memory Box Flying Birds

Memory Box Rounded Fence

Memory Box Country House

Poppystamps Frenchy

Poppystamps Walking Cat

MFT Fresh Cut Grass

So, that's it for another edition. I hate to mention this, but I am terribly behind in commenting on your blogs. I have been too busy eating, drinking, making cards, or sleeping. Honestly, that's about all I have done for the past week. So...I will try to catch up with comments this weekend. But not until after I go to lunch today with my sisters. And refresh our spices at Penzey's--the best place for spices in town. (Not that I cook, but it is nice to have the spices here when Gary does.)

Please check out the fab creations by my talented teammates. And get your coloring on and join us, please! We'd love to see your creativity! And have a great weekend!

Friday Sketch Challenge Reminder/Jon's Birthday Card

Yes, this is the midpoint reminder for our Friday Sketch challenge. We'd love for you to join us and use our Sketch #56 for your creation. We are sponsored by Flonz Craft. They are offering a $20 gift certificate to our lucky winner.

Here is the aforementioned Sketch #56:

It's a really classic sketch, which can be simple, as above, or embellished, (as I am wont to do). Yes, for some strange reason, I cannot leave well enough alone, most of the time. Have no idea why. Perhaps some childhood trauma, of which I am not aware. So, hey, Sisters and Brother of mine, do you know why I tend to overdo? If so, please enlighten me. Thank you. 

This is my second post of the day, (and the week, for that matter). I will keep this one brief and leave my last post for blabbing.

I chose Make It Crafty Crazy March Hare for my image and printed him on MICBC. He was colored with my Copics:

Rabbit: E42, E53, E44, E47

Tie: E42, E53, E44

Shirt: E40, E41, E42

Jacket: W5, W7, W9

Vest: W1, W3, W5

Watch: W0, W1, W3

Coffee: E43, E44

Cup: W0, W1, W3

My CS is from Stampin' Up, and I chose DP from the Prima Engraver collection. Then I went crazy with die cuts, using the following dies:

Whimsy Ticket

Memory Box Cups of Cheer

Spellbinders Circles, Lacey Circles, and Grand Circles

Cheery Lynn Steampunk Pocket Watch

Cheery Lynn Gears

Cheery Lynn Steampunk Gear Mesh Border

And I went even crazier and added several metallic embellies from Tim Holtz Mini Gears, Tim Holtz Sprocket Gears, and Prima Vintage Trinkets. (My SIL, Jon, will get a work-out from just lifting this card--it is heavy!) I added my sentiment, (which Jon should appreciate, as he is a coffee aficionado), to the blank outline from the Whimsy Ticket Sentiments collection.

Be sure to check out all the wonderful creations by my talented teamies at Friday Sketch. And then please join us this week!  

Jellypark Friends New Release/Thanksgiving Challenge

Oh, my, it's time for another one of my freaky Fridays--I have three posts again today.

But there's nothing freaky about our new Jellypark challenge, which is Thanksgiving/Give Thanks. And in recognition of that, Claire designed a darling new release--this adorable scarecrow--I love him! He's so much fun to color!

I printed him on MICBC and colored him with my Copics:

Face: E000, E00, E21, E11, E04, R20, E15

Scarf: B91, B93, B97, W3, E13, E15, E18

Shirt: W0, W2, W4

Jeans: B91, B93, B97, B99, W3

Straw: E50, E51, E53

Hat: Y21, YR21, YR23

Wood: E23, E25, E27

Mouse: W0, W2, W4

Patches: E13, E15, E18

Bird: W5, W7, W9

Clouds: W0, W2, W3, W4

Sky: B0000

Yes, yes, I did use a lot of markers; why do you ask? 

I finished the card, (with Stampin' Up CS), by printing out my own sentiment, cut with a Whimsy Ticket die. Then I added some grass with my MFT Fresh Cut Grass and Poppystamps Grassland Border dies; and I die-cut some clouds with my MFT Cloud Trio and colored them with a bit of W's as above. That's it. For me a CAS card, right? 

Do check out the fab creations this fortnight by my talented teamies. And be sure and enter our new challenge!

I'll be back with more later.

The Outlawz Alcohol Markers Tickle My Funny Bone Challenge/Ron's Birthday Card

Yes, this week we would like to see your sense of humor. (In my case, it is a lack thereof, as you well know.) So get coloring something funny and join us, 'K?

I chose a Bugaboo image, because so many of them are really funny. And I love this one for my BIL's birthday. He should appreciate the humor--I've known him for 50+ years, so I'm pretty sure he'll like this. Especially the fart part. Sorry, but that's the truth. So help me, Hannah. (Who is Hannah, anyway? I don't know her--do you?)

Yes, this is Gus Birthday - Old Fart. I wondered, when I was young, why they called old people "old farts". I have since grown old, and I now understand the concept. Puzzling that people use the expression as a term of endearment. And, by people, I do mean me. Yes, I call Gary "you, old fart" quite often. I could tell you that he's really earned the name, but that would be disrespectful--something I never am. (And, yes, he has earned the name, but then, what person over 50 hasn't?) OK, I guess I should get off the topic before it becomes odiferous.

I printed the geezer on MICBC and colored him with my Copics:

Skin: E000, E00, E21, E11, E04, R20

Hair: T0, T1

Hat/Robe: BG11, BG13, BG15, BG45, BG49, BG72, BG75, BG78

Pipe/Slippers: E40, E42, E44

I added Diamond Glaze to his glasses. And then, of course, I had to make several die cuts. I used the following dies:

Spellbinders Circles

Cheery Lynn Steampunk Clock

Cheery Lynn Steampunk Pocket Watch

SCACD Alice's Clock Statement Corner

SCACD Classic Timepiece

I finished the card with a bottle cap, two chipboard clocks, Tim Holtz Game Spinners, a Tim Holtz Long Fastener, and a clock charm. My DP is from the Basic Grey Oliver collection and is paired with Stampin' Up CS. 

Before I go, I have to tell you that we are in search of an espresso machine. Which I keep wanting to call "expresso". 'Cuz I am a dork. An uncivilized one at that. Anyway, we have looked high and low for the perfect machine. On the internet, that is. I am getting blisters from typing in so many searches. Egad! I have no time to read, make cards, sleep, exercise, or  eat. (I always make time to eat.) I am too busy learning about all the different machines there are available. At the present time, it appears we will be purchasing a semi-automatic heat-exchanger. I would prefer a double-boiler, but they are more money, and Old Moneybags doesn't think that we need two boilers. Yes, I could push him, but it isn't a battle I deem necessary to win, if you get my drift. So, if any of you could enlighten me on the "perfect espresso machine", please feel free to do so. And soon, as I feel that Gary is about to make the leap. 

Do check out all the fab creations by my always-talented teamies, and then color up something funny and join us. (No, you don't need anything with "potty humor" like mine. Which reminds me, did I ever tell you about the time I passed gas in fourth grade and blamed it on the kid in front of me? Too bad. It was a funny story. At least at the time.)

Have a great weekend!

The Outlawz Alcohol Markers Pumpkin Challenge

Yes, this is my third post for today. But, I promise, it is my last. This week we are looking for pumpkin-themed entries, colored with any brand of alcohol markers. I used a fun image by Rick St. Dennis, called Priscilla Pilgrim Mouse.

Before I get to the deets on this card, I want to mention a couple of things. One, we did have a football game at home last week, unlike I thought. Good thing I happened to look at my calendar on Saturday to see that we had the game on Sunday, or we would have missed seeing an actual win! No kidding, the Cardinals won; and it was the best-played game of theirs all season. Who would have thunk? Not me, oh fair-weathered fan that I am. Needless to say, we enjoyed the game thoroughly and stayed until the very end.

And another thing I wanted to mention to you is that my sister, Barbara, and I are going to the annual stamp show in Mesa tomorrow. So I can spend some more of Gary's hard-earned money. Oh, yes, I am. And I know he expects that. I would hate to disappoint him, you know what I mean? (Snort.)

Donovan, the ding-dong dog, went nuts again last night. As he does every year on Halloween. Barked his head off in my lap, while Gary handed out the candy. I think I got the short end of the stick on that one--my ears are still ringing. Gary wanted to go out for the evening and avoid the trick-or-treaters, but I said Donovan would be upset hearing the doorbell. So we stayed home and gave out treats. Didn't want to be tricked. That can be downright dangerous.

OK, now for my card this week. I printed Priscilla on MICBC and colored her with Copics and Twin Touch Brush markers:

Hat/Apron: E40, E41, E42

Shoes/Bow/Leaf/Dress Collar: E84, E87, E89

Dress: TTBR104, TTBR107, TTBR109, E57

Mouse: E35, E37, E39, E29

Pumpkin: TTYR21, TTYR23, TTYR24

Acorns: E44, E47, E49

The face turned out so dark that I highlighted a bit of it with a white gel pen. My DP is from the Echo Park Reflections Fall collection; it is paired with CS from Stampin' Up and DCWV. I made die cuts with two dies: Cheery Lynn Fall Pumpkins and Memory Box Acorn. My finishing piece was a Tim Holtz Adage Ticket. All done.

Be sure to check out the other creations by my talented teamies. And then color up a pumpkin and enter our challenge! Be sure to have a safe and happy weekend. See you next week!

Jellypark Friends ABC Challenge

Hey, how are you today? Did you survive the little gremlins & goblins last night? Honestly, Halloween is not my favorite holiday. I loved it as a child, but those were the days where you could go get a caramel apple from your neighbor and not worry about eating it. Well, other than it pulling out your fillings. And, now it would pull out my crowns, which would leave me toothless. Perfect for Halloween. But that's over, and now we look forward to Thanksgiving.

Before we get to Thanksgiving, we are doing an ABC challenge here at Jellypark Friends. And that means "Anything But a Card". I have trouble with that because I am addicted to card-making. Sometimes I make a tag, but decided to do a little gift bag instead this fortnight. 

I chose "Girl Dressing Up" for my gift bag. Isn't she cute? Love her! I printed her on MICBC, and colored her with my Copics:

Skin: E000, E00, E21, E11, E04, R20

Hair: E50, E53, E55, E57

Hat/Purse/Shoes: B91, B93, B95

Dress: YG61, YG63

Hat Band/Scarf: R12, R14, R17

Flowers/Gloves/Stockings: Y21, Y23, Y26

I added Pearl Pen Ice White to her necklace. My die cuts were made with the following dies:

Memory Box Avenue Shopper

Memory Box Gift Bag

Memory Box Typewriter Upper and #'s

Lifestyle Gift Bag

A bit of tissue paper was added and the bag is done. Be sure to check out the inspiration by my talented teamies, as well as our darling new release images. Then do join in the fun. I'll be back with yet another post today. 

 

Friday Sketch Challenge Reminder Card

Yup, we still have another week to go on our current challenge. So this is a reminder that we'd love for you to follow our sketch #55 and show us what you created. Here is our sketch:

We are being sponsored this fortnight by 2 Cute Ink, and our winner will receive two free digis. Luckily for us, we were given some darling images to use. I chose Sewing Cat for my card.

I printed this cutie on MICBC and colored it with my Copics:

Thread: T4, T6, T8, T10

Shadow: T2

Cat: E40, E42, E44

I selected DP from the Basic Grey Little Black Dress collection, and paired it with Stampin' Up CS. My die cuts were made with the following dies:

Memory Box Simple Needle & Thread

Memory Box Thread Spools 

Whimsy Ticket

Spellbinders Labels 1 & Decorative Labels 1

Cheery Lynn French Flair Doily Stacker

I finished my card with a spool button, a cat button, a couple of safety pins, and a chipboard dragonfly. 

Hope you join us this next week. Be sure to check out all the inspiration by my talented teammates! 

I'll be back with two (I'm sorry!) more posts today.