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Hug's and Happy Craftin 

I know, I know!!!

So I know that I said that I was gonna be posting more frequently but it just seems as though life just gets in the way!!!  I have been soooooooo busy with handling my parents affairs and the kid's school stuff and on top of that I started working at the school part time as a lunchroom/playground chaperone!!  With all of this going on I don't have a lot of energy left at the end of the day for crafting!!  So today I just wanted to let you all know that my BEST friend in the whole world has gotten back into blogging and I wanted to share her new adventure!!  You're gonna love how creative she is!!  So please let's show her some Love by stopping by and saying Hello!!

http://irreversiblymoi.wordpress.com/

I plan on working on some stuff tomorrow as I do not have plan's for anything else so I should have something fun for you in the next few day's!!

Until then Hug's and Happy Craftin!!

Inspiration-pg. 4&5

Okay, so last month I showed you all my new obsession with Donna Downey and her inspiration journal's.  I can hardly wait till Wednesday every week to see what absolutely BEAUTIFUL art she creates in her's!!!  I myself  have been trying to find time as often as I can to work in mine too and so today I have for you pages 4 & 5 in my Inspiration Journal.

I Love all the color and texture in these pages!  The pop's of black make the book text stand out even more.

I have learned from watching Donna that you should not be afraid to add all kinds of color, texture, medium's and pattern to your journal's!!  Be sure to let yourself  go outside of your comfort zone and get messy!!!

Thank you for joining me today!

Until next time, Hug's and Happy Craftin!!!

Cropped Event Challenge 5

Hello my friends, hope you are all doing well!!  Today I had a little time to actually participate in the Above Rubies Cropped Event.  I don't have much time to get my submission in so this is going to be short and sweet!!  The challenge was to make a card, layout or other project with just paper and adhesive!!  So this is what I came up with.

Very simple but quite nice!!

Thanks for stopping by today.  I will have more for you soon!!

Until next time Hug's and Happy Craftin!!

Inspiration!!!

Okay, I know that it has been quite a while since I have posted anything and I do apologize, but just because I haven't doesn't mean that I haven't crafted or kept up with everything that is going on in this wonderful blogging world!!!  So I have to tell you that I do have a new obsession...her name is Donna Downey!!  You have to check her out, she is absolutely BRILLIANT and does the most amazing art!!  She sell's these wonderful handcrafted Inspiration Journals, I just had to have one!!  After watching hours and hours of her video's of her creating in her journal, I got to work in mine and so this is what I did.  

Picture of  one of the many Journal's that Donna sell's.

If you watch any of her video's you will see that you can put whatever inspires you into your Journal!!  You can add paint, stamps, rub-on's, tape, ink and so on and so on, until it makes you happy!!  

I will try to make a video of my own soon showing how I create in my Inspiration Journal!

Thank you for checking me out again after soooo long!!!  I appreciate you all!!

Until next time, Happy Craftin!

It's been a while!!!

Hello my crafty friends, I hope you all find yourselves well!!  I wanted to update you with where I have been!!! I know that it has been about a month since I have posted, I apologize.  I have been so busy with the kids and all the end of the year activities plus, we have taken in a friend who has fallen on hard times.  He has been staying in my craft room and it makes it a little hard to craft when someone is in your artistic space!!  Anyhow, I  think he has found a part time gig that will get him out of the house and then I will be able to get back in there!! I have some other things I am working on in the coming months that I will share with you once I tie up some of the loose ends.  I want to make sure everything is organized and set up before I say anything.  Thank you for being so understanding and I hope to have some projects posted for you later today!!

Hug's and Happy Craftin

Ildi

Exciting News coming soon!!

Hello Everyone!!  I hope you are all doing well!!  I know that it's been a little while since I have posted but that's because I have been working on a few things!!  I'm not quite ready to share, still have some kinks to work out, but be patient, I promise you won't want to miss it!!  

So for now here's a little something to hold you over!!

Until next time Hug's and Happy Craftin!!

Ildi

"Easter"

Just one more from Easter!!  I used my Cricut Imagine and Lori's Garden cart.  I pulled out one of my Stampin Up stamps from forever ago!!  I have really missed using my older stamps, and let me tell you I have a ton of them!!  I guess I will have to get back to crafting with them again!!  Anyway, onto my card!!

Layered Mushrooms!!

Thanks for stopping by today!!  

Until next time Hug's and Happy Craftin!!

Ildi

"Blessings"

Here is another of the cards I made for Easter, simple and cute!!

Again since I am on an Imagine kick, this was made using Lori's Garden and K. Andrew Design stamps!!

Just enough pop!!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Until next time, Hug's and Happy Craftin!!

Ildi

Kristin Wilson Handmade $100.00 Giveaway!!!

Please head on over to Kristin Wilson Handmade:   HUGE $100.00 Give~A~Way!! She is giving away one $100.00 Gift Certificate to Scrapbook.com Superstore to one lucky winner!!  She just opened this brand new blog and would love to gain followers!!!  

Hug's and Happy Craftin!!

Ildi

"Blessings so Sweet"

As promised, here is another card I created for Easter using my Cricut Imagine and Lori's Garden cartridge.  My sentiment is by K. Andrew Designs.

Love the way this turned out!!

Look at the dimension you get when you layer the image!!

Thanks for stopping by today!!  Stay tuned for more of my Easter creations!!

Hug's and Happy Craftin!!

Ildi

Amazing Blessing

Gosh guy's, I really have to apologize!!!  I am trying so hard to get on here an post but it just doesn't seem to be happening!!  I hope you all had a great holiday, whichever holiday you celebrate!  Mine was nice and quiet.  We spent Easter at home this year, first time in my life!!!  It was nice to just hang out at home, cook and enjoy and not have to run around.  So today I want to show you one of my Easter cards made for my family!!

I used my Imagine and Lori's Garden cart.  I layered the images to give it dimension and I used my K. Andrew Design stamps.  I had so much fun creating my cards this year for Easter.  I love layering papers and images!!

I will have another of my cards for you in the next few day's!!  I am really gonna try to stay on top of my blog and creating!!  With the kids home for the holidays it can get a little hectic!!

Hug's and Happy Craftin to you all!!

Ildi

"Easter Blessings" Getting Cricky Simply Sunday Challenge

Hello my Bloggie fiends!!!  I know that it has been a little while since my last post but life has just been super busy and I apologize for slacking off!!!  But I'm back and ready to Rock and Roll!!  I know most of you may not have even realized but I celebrated my 1 year Blogaversary this past Friday.  I had so much planned but like I said before, sometimes LIFE just has other plans for you!!  I cannot believe that it has been a year since I started this Blog, never did I think that I would make it this long and what do you know, here I am 1 year later with 183 followers!!!  I am a member of the wonderful Getting Cricky Design Team, with extremely creative and caring DT sisters.  My BEAUTIFUL friend Faith who is on the DT with me, she is one of the most courageous, strong and creative women I know and even though we have never met face to face (except for Skype) I know that we are great friends who can turn to each other if need be.  My wonderful and on her way up friend Megan Gravener, another friend I am lucky to have!!  I remember when I met Megan at the Scrapbooking Expo last year and we isnstantly hit it off and have been close friends ever since!  I have learned more than I thought I could and I am greatful for the friends I have made.  I look forward to the next year of growth and friendships!!  THANK YOU to the ones that I have and that's all of you!!

So now onto the Getting Cricky Simply Sunday Challenge.  This weeks challenge was "Easter Blessings".  With Easter just around the corner we were asked to make an Easter themed project.

I used my Cricut Imagine and Lori's Garden cartridge to cut my Posie's.  I layered them to give it some dimension.  I added some ribbon and the sentiment, from K. Andrew Designs "Fall-o-ween" and "Amazing you" stamp sets.

(CLICK HERE TO GET K. ANDREW STAMPS)

Please be sure to head on over to Getting Cricky to check out all the wonderful projects the Design Team has created for you!

Thanks again for the most wonderful year, I love and appreciate all of you!!

Until next time Hug's and Happy Craftin!!

Ildi

"Liebster Blog Award"

 Hello to all my wonderful Bloggy friends, I hope you find yourself well.  I am sooo excited !!  I received the Liebster Blog award!! It was given to me from J over at Glitter Panda.  J has such a wondrful blog with so many great crafty ideas and inspiration! 

The origins of the Liebster Blog Award are unclear but as J shared "the word translates from the German as "darling" or "beloved." It's given to bloggers who have less than 200 followers in order to generate some traffic for them. Such a great idea!!


Here are the guidelines for the Liebster Blog Award

1. Acknowledge the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to him or her.

2. Give this award to 5 other bloggers, who must have less than 200 followers, and let them know through a comment on their blog.

3. Post the award on your blog

4. Best of all- bask in the glory, have fun, and share the love!

Here are my 5 choices:

1)  Cindy of Crafty Queen CB.  Cindy just has such a bubbly personality and the cutest projects on her blog!!  I can never wait to see what she will post next!!  Please, if you wish, copy the above award to your computer to post to your blog.

2)  Letillia of Diva of 5.  Letillia is the mother of 5 children and somehow she still finds the time to create beautiful projects with such love and care.  She is one of my Design Team sisters over at Getting Cricky with K. Andrew and I just love her!!  Please, if you wish, copy the above award to your computer to post to your blog.

3)  Melissa of Pink Polka Dot Scrapping.  Melissa is one of the strongest people I know in the blogging world.  She has been at her son's side, living at the Ronald McDonald house in Cincinnati Ohio since December 26th.  He is a 1 year Post Liver Transplant patient and was having dificulties breathing.  It has been a very rough road for them both but she still finds time to create.  Please, if you wish, copy the above award to your computer to post to your blog.

4)  Sam of Scrapping with Pirkie.  Sam creates such wonderful projects all with bold colors, layers and texture.  I love to see what she will be creating next.  Please, if you wish, copy the above award to your computer to post to your blog.

5)  Stephanie of Scrappy Rae 10.  Stephanie is the single mother of an Autistic child who takes the time to create to maintain her sanity.  I just love her style of crafting.  Please, if you wish, copy the above award to your computer to post to your blog.

I know that I only have to choose 5 but here is 1 more!!

6)  Sherry of Up or Down They're Beautiful.  Sherry is also one of my Design Team sisters and all I have to say is that, she is just such an all around beautiful person with such tremendous talent!!   Sherry alway facinates me with her paper piecings and her constant upbeat personality!!   Please, if you wish, copy the above award to your computer to post to your blog.


Congratulations to all of my picks!!

Until next time Hug's and Happy Craftin!! 

Ildi

You've touched my Heart!!

My BEAUTIFUL friend and fellow Blog sister, Faith Freeman of Faithfule Creations, has awarded me with the "You've touched my Heart" Blog award!!  I have to tell you that I am soooo Blessed to know Faith, she is one of the most talented women I know and she has a heart larger than words can describe!!  I have soooo much admiration for her, she is a thrifty single mother with such unmeasurable stregnth and courage!!  She has touched my heart and I love her dearly!! 

 Please click on her name above to visit her blog.  If you need and want inspiration your sure to find it there!!

I love ya mama and thank you for my award!!

Until next time, Hug's and Happy Craftin!!

Ildi

"You're Just Grande"

Hello to all my Bloggie friends, hope you are all well!  So as I sit here writing this post it dawned on me that my 1 year Blogaversary is in only 21 day's!!  I just can't believe it, where has the time gone??  Just one year ago I logged onto my computer to find some video's on how to use my new Cricut Expression that I had received for my birthday just a few month's before.  As I was looking I came accross soooooo many wonderful blogs with sooooooo much information.  In just a few moments I thought to myself, hey why don't I start my own blog showcasing my crafty creations???  I knew that I was not the greatest crafter but I also was not that terrible, after all crafting is meant to be an outlet to express your creativity and usually your best work (at least mine) come from mistakes!!  Hence The Craftin Mama!!  I am so glad I took that leap of faith and put my fears aside.  Over the past year I have met sooooo many wonderful new crafty friends near and far as well as learning soo many new and wonderful techniques!!  I am astonished by how many people have become a follower of my blog, now I know that 180ish is not that much but I never though that I would hit a 100!!  So before I bore you all too death let me say this....

THANK YOU!!!

Here's a card for all of you today to show you my appreciation!!

I used K. Andrew Design stamps "Coffee and Tea for you and me" and Stampin up cardstock.

CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR K. ANDREW STAMPS

Thanks for stoping by today!!

Until next time Hug's and Happy Craftin!!

Ildi

Getting Cricky "Argh Matey" Simply Sunday Challenge

Hello my Wonderful Bloggie friends, hope you find yourself well!!  I want to welcome you all to the Getting Cricky "Argh Matey" Simply Sunday Challenge.  I think it is quite obvious what the theme is this week, anything pirate or fish related so this is what I came up with!!

I cut the Beautiful Fish from the Pagoda Cricut Cartridge @ 4".  I embossed the base using my Bubbles folder and my Cuttlebug, then I used the negative image of my cut to ink a shadow on my base which is some old Blissful Blue Stampin up paper, I then layered on my cut image.  It really looks like a shadow!!  I stamped my sentiment using my "Pirate Tales and Fish Scales" stamp set from K. Andrew Designs.

CLICK HER FOR YOUR K. ANDREW DESIGN STAMPS

EVERY stamp you purchase benefits charity! Atleast $1 from the sale of every single stamp set goes to a well deserved charity. Please check the charity tabs to see which charity your stamp set benefits.  And are made in the U.S.A. of the highest quality Photopolymer!!

I want to thank you for stopping by today and please be sure to play along with us!!

Until next time Hug's and Happy Craftin!!

Ildi

“Getting Cricky With It” Surprise Blog Hop for Kristal!!!

Welcome the “Getting Cricky With It” Surprise Blog Hop for Kristal!!!

Today the Design Team is bringing you some very special projects created for our wonderful and amazing leader Kristal! Our term is almost over and we wanted to show her just how much we appreciate ALL that she has done for us this term. The projects that we will be sharing with you will also be sent to Kristal. We encourage ALL of her fans to join in on the fun as well! Be sure to add your card/project to the link below and then be sure to mail it off to her!

If you've hopped along from Miranda then you are in the right place!! If you are just joining me from your dashboard, or reading this via email, please be sure to CLICK HERE to start at the beginning with Kristal's blog (you'll want to catch up on all the FUN!!)...

Each of Kristal's stamp sets benefit charity. At least $1 per stamp set goes to benefit the charity noted on the stamp set package. Kristal is donating to the following charities: Cancer Angels, Storefront Shelter for Homeless Children, Intrepid & Fallen Heroes, E. Glaser Pediatric AIDS  Foundation, Doorways Shelter for Women & Children (Domestic Violence), Wayside House for Women, Camp Good Days & Special Times, Adopt a Classroom, and Autism Research Institute. Kristal will donate $1 for every stamp set sold, retail or wholesale to the charity noted; and over time believes this will add up to some wonderful miracles for these special people. So you can feel good that each time you purchase a K Andrew Designs art stamp set, someone around the country is receiving some good help!

K Andrew's stamps are all made and assembled here in the USA, which is very important to Kristal. This ensures all product materials are safe and that jobs are being provided and maintained here in America.  You can learn even more about Kristal's stamps (and pick some up for yourself) by visiting her online store: K Andrew Designs:

So for today's project I used the "Amazing You" K. Andrew Design stamp set!!  I really hope that Kristal loves it and I hope you do too!!

I used 4 toilet paper rolls, cordinating papers, K. Andrew Design stamps "Amazing You", ribbon and K & Co. glittery flowers!!  I first painted the tubes with green acrylic paint and then attached my papers, brads, sentiment and flowers.  I cut tag's to go inside the tube for photos with room on the other side for journaling!!

I have to thank my wonderful Getting Cricky sister for showing me how to make the Toilet Paper mini album, so FAITH FREEMAN, THANK YOU!! You inspire me every day, not just with your projects but with your stregnth, courage and knowledge!  You have taught me soo much!!  Luv ya mama!!

Now you can dance on over to your next stop: Jessie

Here is the line up in case you get lost along the way:

1.      Kristal

2.      RhoLynda

3.      Charlotte

4.      Cheri

5.      Linda

6.      Amanda

7.      Debbie

8.      Vero

9.      Lisa

10.  Jennie

11.  Kristan

12.  Holly

13.  Jamie

14.  Christel

15.  Jana

16.  Patti

17.  Heather

18.  Miranda

19.  Ildi

20.  Jessie

21.  JoAnn

22.  Letillia

23.  Larelyn

24.  Anita

25.  Laura

26. Sherry

27.  Shawn

28.  Faith

29.  Amy

Hug's and Happy Craftin!!

Ildi