The Outlawz Friday Coloring 'Anything Goes/Christmas Twist' Challenge

Oh, mercy me! It is actually Thursday as I write this, and I know what I want to do with this day. You know how "Throwback Thursday" has become a thing? Well, I want to throw this Thursday back into the void. It is downright ugly here today. Gray, windy as all get-out, rain, thunder, you know--the works. I am ready to see the sun again. And it has only been 24 hours since it was here. Yes, I am spoiled, but that's why we moved to Arizona. For the SUN! Not this gloomy crap that is looming over us. But, hey, on the bright side--Gary cleaned up the dog pooh before the storm. So there is that...

OK, I am pretending it is Friday. When we are supposed to have some more sun...

Hey, howdy, and welcome to our new challenge for the week at The Outlawz Friday Coloring Challenge! Yes, it is our AG again, since it is the end of the month. So you can throw a Christmas twist in there, too, if you are like me, and still in need of cards for the holidays. Speaking of holidays, tomorrow is Halloween. And all the little monsters will be out trick-or-treating. Fortunately, we are stocked with lots of candy I don't like. (That is fortunate, because if we have left-over candy, I won't be tempted to eat any.) We were going to get the little snack bags at Costco like my sister, Merrilyn, has. But alas and alack, we shopped too late and those were all gone. Kind of like my mind...

Gary told me we needed to go somewhere for Halloween so we could avoid the trick-or-treaters. But I know our dog. He would totally freak out being by himself, and I won't put him through that. I don't roll that way. However, as pudgy as I have gotten, I do roll pretty easily with a little shove. That's why I don't want left-over candy that I would be tempted to eat. You know those three pounds I gained when I was on the steroids? (I think I mentioned that about 100 years ago or so.) Well, I am still dragging that around with me on a daily basis. If anyone wants to borrow it, I'd be glad to cut off an inch or twenty for you...

Say, we had a fun Monday night. ESPN was here for Monday Night Football between our beloved Cardinals and the Baltimore Ravens. Well, nevermore, nevermore. We squeaked out a win, which is unusual for us on a Monday night game. But thrilling, nonetheless. And Merrilyn and Ron took Don for the night so we could stay at the Westin in downtown Phoenix. It is such a long drive home after a night game, so we make a fun staycation out of it. Had some yummy food in the Westin lounge after the game, along with a delicious glass of Tempranillo. Yeah, good way to relax at 10:00 p.m.

We had a good breakfast on Tuesday in the Westin Executive Club. Got to drink lattes to our heart's content...yum. And then off to do a bit of shopping before picking up the Don at Merrilyn's. Oh, we went to lunch at a Greek restaurant with her and Ron before heading back out to Gilbert. Nice little break in the week for us. (Notice I have mentioned food several times? No wonder I am still dragging that 3 pounds along with me!)

My other sister, Barbara, arrived in town Tuesday night. She will stay here for the next month or so. And we are going to the Rubber Stamp Convention next week--can hardly wait! I won't be buying stamps, as I am almost exclusively digi now, but I do love to look at other things. And I need some Copic refills if there are any available. Also 7x7 envelopes for my cards. Hopefully, there will be some there...

Well, I have some very sad news in case you hadn't heard. This is the last month that we will be sponsored by Sweet Pea Stamps, as she is closing up shop. I am devastated. My favorite stamp shop will no longer be available. Drat. And boo, hiss. But if you get your entry in this week, you still have a chance to win the last prize she is awarding to our challenge. Your choice of three digis! Get them while you can...all you need to do is hand-color your image with the medium of your choice. So please play along with us this week.

I chose Sweet Pea Stamps Angel of Christmas Stars, by Conie Fong. Love this image! I have had it for several months, just waiting to use it. Apparently, today was the day! I printed her on X-Press It BC, and colored her with my Copics:

Skin: E000, E01, E11

Hair: E21, E25, E29

Flowers: RV91, RV93, RV95, RV99, E41, E42, E43, E44

Dress: BG23, BV25, BV29

Trim/Lips/Heart: RV63, RV66, RV69

Wings: BG11, BG13, BG15, BG18, BG72, BG75, BG78, E42, E43, E44

Globe: BG11, BG13, BG15, BG18

My DP is from the Bo Bunny Altitude collection, and it was paired with Stampin' Up CS. I used one die cut, made with Memory Box Frosty Border. And that's it. Another Christmas card fini! YAY! 

Please check out the fabulous creations by my talented teammates! And then join Carla, Kathi, Vannessa, and I this week for our challenge of Anything Goes.

Have a great weekend! (My Cardinals are in Cleveland this Sunday. Go Cards!)

The Outlawz Friday Coloring 'Color/Photo Inspiration' Challenge

So, another challenge. And it is the monthly Photo Inspiration challenge. Love the palette this month! And, though we don't have a formal Halloween challenge, you can certainly use this one for a Halloween card.

Before I get to my card details, I have to mention a couple of things. Yes, my Arizona Cardinals lost to Pittsburgh. Yes, it was a really awful outing for my team. Again. Don't know what to say, except that we are on Monday Night Football this next week at home. We had better win. Or this season could be a really short and disappointing one. Or a really long and disappointing one--depending on if you see the glass half-empty or half-full. Enough about football. (Even my Arizona State Sun Devils lost this past weekend. Boo, hiss.)

Jon, Angela, and the girls really liked last week's card, which was for Jon and Angela's 17th anniversary. I find it hard to believe that they have been married that long. You realize that makes me an older person. Since our daughter didn't marry until she was 26 years old. Funny how your own age can make you feel older, but your child's age makes you feel ancient...

Gary has been scanning our old slides. Which were taken years ago. (There we go with the age thing again.) And it brings back so many memories to look at them. Until it doesn't. You know, you look at a photo, and you wonder what the heck you were doing at the time. Nothing looks familiar. And then your spouse 'splains' it to you. As if you were ditzy Lucy Ricardo. On a TV show. That I absolutely have no memory of, because I was much too young to see it on television. Except for the episode where Lucy was in the big barrel stomping on grapes. Which made me laugh and laugh and laugh--and it apparently foreshadowed that I would be a wino...

Back to our regularly-scheduled program: October's challenge is also sponsored by Sweet Pea Stamps--lucky us and lucky you! Us, because we get to work with so many wonderful artists and images. And you, because you get to choose three images by these artists if you are our randomly-drawn winner!

I chose Elphaba and Her Monkey, by Charmaine Flannery for this week's card. Love Charmaine's images, and this one is really cool! I decided not to do her skin in green, as I am not experienced in doing green faces. (I wonder why.) So I printed her on X-Press It BC and colored her with the following Copics:

Skin: E000, E01, E11

Hair: E74, E77, E79

Monkey: YR21, YR23, YR27

Hat: BV01, BV02, BV04, BV08, RV95, W1, W3, W6, W8, W10

Background: RV91, RV93, RV95, RV99

The color palette for the month was well-represented by the Basic Grey Plumeria collection, so I chose that for my DP, and paired it with Stampin' Up CS. I made a few die cuts with the following dies: Cheery Lynn Horizon Oval Boutique Stackers, LaLa Land Crafts Corner, LaLa Land Crafts Lattice Border, and LaLa Land Crafts Lattice Doily Border.

I am so lucky to be surrounded by talented DT teammates. This week, unfortunately, we are a bit short-handed for various and sundry reasons. But please play along with us anyway. Carla, Kathi, Vannessa, and I would love to see your creations! Just be sure to hand-color an image with the medium of your choice on your project.

And, have a great weekend! (Go Cards!?)

  

The Outlawz Friday Coloring 'Buttons' Challenge/J & A Anniversary Card

Yes, it is that time of year again! To celebrate the anniversary of our daughter and SIL's wedding. October 17th. An auspicious day for them, to be sure. And I combined their anniversary with the theme for this week's challenge, which is in homage to Count Your Buttons Day on October 21st.

How did I do that? Well, by picking an adorable image of a young couple, (Sweet Pea Stamps Kissed by an Angel, drawn by Conie Fong), and combining it with some button die cuts. I am nothing, if not clever, hey? Snicker...

We are sponsored again this month by the inimitable Sweet Pea Stamps. My home away from home. So many wonderful artists. So many fabulous digis. So little time. You can win the prize of 3 digis if you enter our challenge during the month of October. Good luck! (Just be sure to hand-color an image with the medium of your choice on your project entry.)

Wish I could tell you about all the fascinating things I have done this past week. But it was a fairly ordinary week for me. We did attend granddaughter Kelsey's cross-country meet on Friday afternoon--again too hot for a 2-mile run, if you ask me. But they didn't. Ask me, that is. Anyway, she came in fifth after three weeks of finishing 9th. So she was pretty happy!

We took the family to dinner at El Zocalo in downtown Chandler after the meet. Had a decent dinner, nothing fabulous, but it was nice to sit down to a meal with all of them. We do not seem to do that often enough.  But then, they lead such busy lives. I do seem to recall doing that myself, once upon a time...

Then we watched the Cardinals/Lions game on Sunday. Well, I didn't watch it live. After seeing the first possession end up the way our last one did a week ago, I set up the recorder and left the building. Like Elvis. (Not actually. I just went into the den to read.) I did see the game after we returned from a lovely dinner at Fleming's Steakhouse. (We had their steak & lobster special, and it was really delicious!) Gary watched a little of the game with me and then he went to bed, while I saw the rest of the lopsided win by the Cards. It is much less stressful to watch when you know the outcome, I have found. (Another snicker, but with an added snort.)

This week our 4-1 team will travel to Pittsburgh to take on the mighty Steelers. Will probably have to record this game again, as I don't know if I can watch it in real-time. I know the guys really want to win this one for their coach, Bruce Arians. You see, he used to work for the Steelers as their offensive coordinator. And they not only didn't renew his contract, but they told the public that he had retired...retired, my rear end. He was basically fired. And I don't think he has completely gotten over that. I, for one, am glad it happened. It meant that he went to the Colts for a year as their offensive coordinator/interim coach. And then came to Arizona as our head coach. In those three years he has been Coach of the Year twice. Not too shabby for a "retired" guy, huh? (Gotta stick up for us oldies, but goodies.) Anyhoo, I am sure he wants to return to Pittsburgh and trounce their team. As a final gesture, if you will...

On a smellier note, I cleaned up all the dog doodoo yesterday. Quite a fun job. One that I try to wiggle out of if I can coerce Gary into doing it. 'Cuz it has been really hot for several months, and I don't do well working outside in the heat. I am much better when it cools off. If I had known that I would perspire so profusely, I would have wiggled out of poop patrol yesterday, too. Unfortunately, Gary wasn't here, and I needed to get the job done. As we had the builder of our house coming out for an inspection. And I didn't want them tromping through Don's leavings and smooshing them all over the place. Yuck. OK, enough of that. I told you I had an uneventful week.

On to my card. I printed the cutie-pie couple on X-Press It BC and colored them with my Copics and Twin Touch Brush markers:

Skin: E000, E01, E11

Her Hair: E51, E53, E37

His Hair: Y21, YR23, E15

Wings/Jeans: TTBG1, TTBG3, TTBG5

Shirt: YR14, YR15, YR16, YR18

Dress: E93, R02, E09

Branch: E29, TTBR92, TTBR98

I took my palette from my DP, which is from My Mind's Eye Honey Cake collection. My CS is from Stampin' Up, and the button die cuts were made with a Sizzix Buttons #5 die. Fairly simple, if not actually CAS. 

Please check out the beautiful creations by my talented teammates: Carla and Vanessa! And then please play along with us again this week! Our theme is easy to do!

Oh, and I plan to catch up on your blogs today or tomorrow. I am behind in my commenting, because I have been so swamped, doing nothing.  Clearing throat loudly here and running away...

Have a great weekend!

The Outlawz Friday Coloring 'Party Time' Challenge/Jenifer's Birthday Card

Another day, another dollar. Another Friday, another challenge...and this one is to honor "It's My Party Day" on October 11th. I really hope you can find a party image and play along with us. You can use any medium you want, just make sure you hand-color your image with it! And you will be entered into our monthly drawing. This month we are again sponsored by one of my favorites: Sweet Pea Stamps! The prize will be the winner's choice of three digis--lucky winner--so many artists, so many images to choose from!!!

Before I get into my card, which features a Sweet Pea Stamps image, Fairy Tea Party, by Katerina Koukiotis, I am going to update you on world affairs. Oh, just kidding. I pay as little attention as possible to news, except sports. (News stories mostly depress me.) And, after the Cardinals' game this last Sunday, I am paying less attention to sports as well. That game sucked. Don't know how to put it in any better terms. It was a terribly disappointing game to attend. Here's hoping the game this week in Detroit goes better for the Cardinals. However, I do feel badly for the Detroit Lions and their fans. They got hosed by the officials in Seattle Monday night. And Seattle won the game as a result. Which, for Cardinals' fans, was really disappointing news...

Enough of that. Gary and I were called Wednesday to pick up our new glasses--his regular frames and my sunglass frames. Very happy with both. I noticed that my eyes were so much more relaxed while riding in the car. I must see so much better in my new sunglasses that I am not straining my eyes. Hallelujah! Perhaps I was wrong. Perhaps you are all just a smidgeon safer if you are on the road when I am driving...

I went outside yesterday and thought I saw a big piece of dog feces on the deck. Sometimes Donovan will poop in the yard, and the last bit falls onto the deck edge as he is running away from his "dumpola".  But this looked like he had started his poo on the deck. Dratted dog. Not. quite. so. fast. It was not dog droppings. Nay. Upon closer inspection, it was actually purple and green instead of dog-doodoo-brown. And one end of it moved slightly. Huh. I asked big Gar to check it out, and he said it was a caterpillar. Really? Well, the moth that thing is going to turn into must be the size of a small airplane. Ick. Gary was kind and picked up the creature and put it out on our rosemary bush in the front yard. Not so sure that was a good idea--it may eat the entire shrub. I think some giant bird must have dropped it while flying by--otherwise why would it suddenly appear in the middle of our deck? Again, ick. Wish I had thought to take a photo, but my brain must have been in first gear at the time. And I am not going to search the rosemary bush for the thing. It might possibly kidnap me. (Shudders....)

Our weather took quite a turn this week. Down into the 80's, so it really felt like fall. However, Gary tells me that we are about to go back up into the high 90's, so there is that. I know my sister, Merrilyn, is celebrating that the temps will go back up. I prefer it a bit cooler at this time of year. Of course, that means that we are not using our pool so much, as it has really cooled off. Need my wetsuit again. Snicker...

OK, about my card for the week. I picked this image for our party theme as it is called Fairy Tea Party. See how I am? I can really connect the dots.  I also chose this for Jenifer's birthday, which is coming up in a couple of weeks. She is a wonderful friend in our dinner club group. I actually have never seen her drink a cup of tea, but hope that she enjoys the image anyway.

I printed the image on X-Press It BC, and colored her with my Copics:

Skin: YR000, YR00, YR01

Hair: W6, W8, W10

Ribbon/Flower: BG70, BG72, BG75, BG78

Wing/Cup/Saucer/Leaves: G21, G24, G28, BG72

Lips: E02, E07, E09

Eyes: E25, E29, W0, W1

I left the front very simple with just DP from the Bo Bunny Zip-a-dee-doodle collection mounted on Stampin' Up CS.

I do hope you join us this week. Please check out the fab creations by my talented teammates: Carla, Kathi, and Vanessa at the Friday Coloring group on The Outlawz!

Have a wonderful weekend! Go Cards!

The Outlawz Friday Coloring "Anything Alice in Wonderland" Challenge

Wow, I am actually writing this on a Friday morning! I had such a weird week that I didn't get my card done until the last minute, and then couldn't drag myself to the computer to write up a post. So, I am late posting my card. Fifty lashes with a wet noodle...

Let's see, what momentous things happened since last Friday? We got our new iPhones! Yes, indeedy, and now I am synced with my computer. Lovin' that! There was a slight bug, which Apple thinks they fixed. I surely hope so. Our phones kept dropping wifi at home to go to 4G. And that costs data. It appears that my phone is staying on wifi at home. Hope so! Anyway, I love my new phone.

And we continued to watch Don like a hawk so he didn't pull out his sutures. On Sunday, we took him to Merrilyn's in the morning, and then headed out to the football stadium. After more than a week of constant vigilance, it was such a relief to have someone else worry about his hairy little head.

At the stadium we got out of our car and walked to security to be checked out. OMG! Everyone parked in that row on both sides was from San Francisco. I knew we were in trouble with the noise they would generate inside. (Yes, we do have an indoor stadium, with a retractable roof. You don't expect those big kids to play pro football in 105 degrees outside, do you? Imagine the sweaty stench. Oooh, I'd rather not. And I want to enjoy the game in air-conditioned comfort, too!) Anyway, there were far too many 49ers' fans at the game; and, yes, they did make way too much noise when we had the ball. Our team had to go to a silent snap count in our own stadium. I just wish all those season ticket holders who sell their tickets to the opposition would cut it out. Dagnabit...

Even though our team was handicapped with the noise, we made it worse on the 49ers. We were rocking the noise, and our team was rocking the players. Holy moly, Rocky! We won 47-7, in case you hadn't heard. Not that you care, but it was the best game I have ever been to. Loved every minute of it, and stayed until the end, including the coach's interview. Then we headed to Tempo Urban Bistro in Verrado, which is in Buckeye on the west side. You know, like halfway to California.

We had the best meal that night! It was the last day of Restaurant Week, and we actually got to eat at a participating restaurant once! Better than not at all. I forgot to take photos with my new phone. Bummer. I can't believe it. (Has nothing to do with my age. That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it!) I had a first course of the most delightful brussel sprout salad. With caramelized butter nut squash, quinoa, parmesan cheese shavings, and toasted pumpkin seeds! Loved it! Gary had their blue masa fried rock shrimp. I tried one and it was delicious! Then we both had Filet of Beef Wellington, with mushroom duxell, caramelized leek demi-glace, baby potatoes and carrots. Holy cow! (No pun intended!) I had never eaten Beef Wellington, so really wanted to try it. So glad I did. We both loved it! Couldn't finish all my potatoes, though. I was already full and we still had dessert coming. And what a dessert! I had the caramel apple tart, which literally melted in my mouth. Oh, baby! Gary had the molten lava brownie, which was wonderful, but not as good as my tart! With a great glass of wine during the meal and a cappuccino afterward, it was as perfect as it could be. Just too. much. food. I was uncomfortably stuffed. Should have known better, hey? I would love to go back to that restaurant, but it is 1-1/2 hours from our house, so probably won't go again real soon. But it made for a great night.

We didn't pick up Don until Monday, as he had a sleep-over while we stayed at the Westin in downtown Phoenix for the night. Was quite funny walking into the hotel with our Cardinals jerseys on, since we saw several 49ers fans in their jerseys. I am sure they weren't happy to be reminded of the butt-kickin' their team had just received. And, no, we didn't say anything. Didn't even make eye contact. Hey, I am old, female, and weak. No way am I going to get into a physical altercation over football...or anything else, for that matter.

So, on Monday, Don got his sutures out. And then we were supposed to go to lunch with Merrilyn and Ron, (sister and BIL). Well, Ron was at Goodyear getting a new battery put into their Trooper. We were going to pick him up, but he called as we were on the way to say he would meet us at the restaurant since the Trooper was ready to go. Ok, fine. But he didn't show, he didn't show, and finally Merrilyn got him on the phone. Someone had rear-ended him on the way to the restaurant. So we grabbed our drinks and hot-footed it to the scene of the crash. Good thing he was in the Trooper--it's an SUV, so he didn't get hurt badly. Sore neck, but OK. After all the paperwork was filled out, we followed him home and then drove him to the restaurant, Little Thaiger. Which has very good food, btw. Strangest lunch I have had in a long time, though. Drove Ron and Merrilyn back home, got Donovan, and headed out to our house. Longgggg day!

I think I spent most of Tuesday recovering from the weekend and Monday. (You know, it takes a while for old people to recover from so much excitement.) Then I had an eye appointment on Wednesday, which wrecked my eyes for hours. You know how that goes. Really makes it hard to see with the dilation, and impossible to color. So I didn't get my card done until late Thursday. Oh, hey, my eyes didn't change much at all. Not enough to warrant new glasses. But I did get new prescription sunglasses, as mine were a couple of prescriptions old--and hard to see with. The frames Gary and I picked out, (yes, he had input as usual), are really, really big. And the lenses that were in them were reflective. So when I tried them on I looked like a grasshopper.

But the gals at Aztec Optical are so much fun and so helpful, that they put regular sunglass lenses in the frames, and then they looked nice on me. And they are a turquoise-ish frame, which Gary loves on me. So I am getting those with Polarized lenses. I will finally be able to see to drive again. (Yes, it has been dangerous for other drivers when I have been on the road. Of course, just because I will be able to see again doesn't mean that you people will be any safer when I am driving. Good luck to you.)

I did find out that the reason I thought I needed new glasses is because my retinas are wrinkling. Just like my corneas have. Hey, what is it about getting old that causes wrinkles all over your body? Even in places you can't see without x-rays? I bet my organs are wrinkled. Guess I need to invest in a new iron...

Okey dokey, I think I have you caught up with the exciting events in my life, such as they are. So I will move on to my card for the week.

Our sponsor this month is once again Sweet Pea Stamps! YAY! So happy! And our lucky winner will win his/her choice of three digis! I so love perusing their store--so many wonderful artists with tons of fabulous images!

In honor of Mad Hatter Day, October 6th, I chose an actual Mad Hatter image. You can choose anything from the Alice in Wonderland tale. (Just be sure to hand-color your image, with your choice of medium.)  My image is from Make it Crafty, called The Mad Hatter. I printed him on X-Press It BC, and colored him with my Copics:

Skin: E000, E01, E11

Hair: W5, W7, W9

Clothing: YG91, YG93, YG95, YG97, BG13, BG15, BG18,

 W0, W1, W2, E02, E07, E09

My DP is from the Carta Bella Well Played collection, and it was paired with Stampin' Up CS. I used some die cuts on my card, made with Spellbinders Feathers on the Wind and Cheery Lynn Mini Playing Cards dies. And that does it for another week!

Please visit us at The Outlawz Friday Coloring Challenge, and check out the fab creations by my talented teammates: Carla, Kathi, and Vanessa! Looking forward to you playing along with us this week.

We are headed to another Cardinals game in Glendale on Sunday. This time we play the St. Louis Rams. I doubt that we will blow them out, but I certainly hope that we win to make out record 4-0! Hope you have some fun plans, too!

Have a great weekend!