Here we go again with those wonderful images (50% off all July) from Bugaboo!  Last day of the Die Cut Divas July blog challenge too.

I was very creative this past weekend.  In this first card,  I hope the flowers are smiling for you. They are for me.

This is the last day of July and I wanted to share some flowers and a little beach gal.  She has no flowers, but she has lots of sand in between her toes and is ready to play!

FLOWER JAR - not a very catchy name for a lovely fresh bouquet

Fancy SB Beach (SB = Sun Bonnet)

I hope you enjoyed July as much as I did.  If I'm coloring, I'm HAPPY! 

Time for Flowers

Time for flowers.  If you remember from a couple posts ago, I colored some of the Bugaboo digitals I had printed and they were waiting for me to make a card.  This image was fun to color, but I can't say it was fun to embellish.  Do you have those days when you get ink on your fingers and wish you never touched anything again?   Yes, you can cover up those nasty ink stains, but only up to a point.  I know better than to handle pearls colored with a Copic marker when they're NOT DRY.  Do I listen to that advice?  NO!  All the pearls on the flowers were meant to stare at you and the first black pearl, top right is meant to add interest.  However the two large black pearls cover small but noticeable SMUDGES.  Yes, somehow smudges occurred.  The additional little pearl, bottom left, is holding its own for now... no more smudging and no more touching.

Remember to enter our Die Cut Divas' challenge this month.  Flowers is the name and flowers is the game!
Remember to catch the 50% sale on all digital stamps for the month of July at Bugaboo Digital Stamps.

 A close-up for you!

Recipe:

Bugaboo Teacup Flowers 1

Cuttlebug

Spellbinders die-cuts

Twine

It's only a post and a card.

I happen to like this cute card - it's a cutesy, smiley, fun card and I have a confession to make.  I didn't like this image when I saw it on the Friday Freebies at Bugaboo, but I thought, it's a flower, I'll be able to use a flower, won't I?.  Once I started coloring it, I fell in love with it.   Do you ever have those moments?   Of course when it goes the opposite (you love something and then can't stand it), that's a real BUMMER!

I hope you like this card and really, if you don't, don't tell me.  Just let me go my merry way, totally oblivious and happy.  From me to you on blogland, you're the best and I'll give this card to a friend who needs some serious cheering up.  Have a very happy week!

Be sure to visit Die Cut Divas to enter the July challenge - Summer Flowers

Only a couple days left in July.  Can you believe it?

Recipe:
Bugaboo Baby Flower Pot - as of 7/28/13, still listed as free
Hero Arts (A Perfect Day) Travel AC031
Hero Arts (you're the best) Everyday Sayings CL342
Cuttlebug
Spellbinders die-cut
Copic markers
Pink and melon paper is from Lawn Fawn
Kraft note card

Hero Arts Summer Picnic Blog Hop..- Arlene's Blog Winner...

The random number generator makes number 21 a very happy person.  Announcing tammy b as the winner of my blog candy.  I'll be sending some goodies your way.  I'll email you now

Here is tammy b's comment.

 tammy b said...

i'm the same about picnics, it's all about what we ate, with whom and where! nice job

Hope you all had a great blog hopping day all week.  It was so much fun to do this hop.  Deborah did such a great job of coordinating and playing commedienne for our picnic hopping.  

Hero Hostess Summer Picnic Blog Hop

• Welcome to the Hero Hostess Summer Picnic Hop!

• If you’ve been following along, you’ve just arrived from Marcy at En Papillate Arts blog!

• Hero Arts will be awarding prizes from randomly drawn comments. For a chance to win, simply comment on ANY of the stops along the hop on ANY day, including each day’s starting post at the Hero Club Blog. The more comments you leave, the better your chance of winning!

• I will also be sending out some goodies to a randomly chosen person who leaves a comment on my blog.  I'll announce the winner on Friday, EDITED TO 7/26/2013 - a FRIDAY, not today, 7/25/2013.

• If you find a broken link, you'll find a master list of the hop links at the Hero Arts Club Blog. Also, please report broken links to: blog@heroarts.com.

• Your next stop on the Hero Arts Hostess Blog Hop is Lin Brandenberry at Sending Hugs.

I have two recipes for you at the end of this post, one for the card and one for a fantastic sheet cake, a cake that looks like you made fudge... ice it while the cake is warm... YUM.  

On to my picnic card and for me, a summer picnic is all about where we went and what we ate.  I thought I'd prepare my picnic dish in my apron.  I'd love to have an apron of the world, so I'm making this one of paper.

Close-Up

I lined up the water colored map with the background map and I do like the results.  

Card Recipe:

Hero Arts cling "Map of America - CG527"

Hero Arts "Travel AC031"

Hero Arts die-cut (HA die D1085 Tag)

Dreamweaver Apron Die & (Stencil LG736)

Cuttlebug
Ranger Distress Markers
Water pen
Water Spritzer
Water Color Paper for the apron
Kraft note card

Jennifer McGuire's post on July 3rd inspired me to use use a water color technique of misting the water onto watercolor paper first and then adding the distress colors.  I used markers and a water pen instead of putting the distress ink pad onto a craft sheet and picking the ink up with a brush.

Cake Recipe:

INGREDIENTS

o    1 cup butter, cubed

o    1 cup water

o    1/4 cup baking cocoa

o    2 cups all-purpose flour

o    2 cups sugar

o    1 teaspoon baking soda

o    1/2 teaspoon salt

o    1/2 cup Daisy Brand Sour Cream

o    ICING:

o    1/2 cup butter, cubed

o    1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk

o    3 tablespoons baking cocoa

o    3 to 3 & 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar

o    1 teaspoon vanilla extract

o    2 cups Walnuts (see NOTES)

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large saucepan, bring the butter, water and cocoa to a boil. Remove from heat. Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt and add to the cocoa mixture. Stir in the sour cream until smooth.

Pour into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

In a saucepan, melt butter; add milk and cocoa. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in confectioners' sugar and vanilla with a whisk until smooth. Pour over warm cake. Cool completely on a wire rack.   Yield: 15 servings.

NOTES 

If you like nuts, stir chopped pecans or walnuts into the icing as you cook it.  As many as you like.  I used one cup for half a layer. 

THIS LOOKS LIKE YOU’RE MAKING FUDGE BECAUSE THE CAKE IS AN INCH HIGH.  IT IS SO YUMMY AND A GREAT CAKE TO FREEZE AHEAD OF TIME. 

Remember, your next stop on the Hero Arts Hostess Blog Hop is Lin Brandenberry at Sending Hugs.

Sometimes you just HAVE TO COLOR!  I had to color these Bugaboo images because they are so cute.  That little flower guy is so cute and he or she was a Friday freebie.

Then I just loved the vase of flowers.  I hand wrote the note and they didn't turn out half bad.  I think cups of flowers are so much fun.  I would love to receive a little flower cup arrangement.  And that beach girl, I think she is just so ready to go out and play in the sand at the beach.   Just sharing.  Copic markers are always so much fun to use.

Now, however, I want you to see what Dawn has for you at Die Cut Divas.   You can find these Bugaboo images for 50% off this whole month of July, 2013.  Come have some fun and color too.

Friday Freebies - time to make them yours

This little girl is still free.  She will be replaced (I'll miss you, dear) on Friday, July 19th with an equally charming image.  I hope you enjoy using the dear.  I did.  I made one with flowers as an example of the freebies at Bugaboo on the Die Cut Divas' challenge blog and an extra one to have on hand.  See how different the image looks, depending on the backgrounds you use.

Can you tell my pearl slid off my exacto knife and left a trail of red?  Now there's a line on the left side of her hat as well as the right.

Sometimes it's just the simple ithings

I think of this image as simple, as in simple lines, not a whole lot of detail, but enough to give substance.  I loved coloring this simple image with light carefree colors.

A Bugaboo Image

I know Bugaboo has so many fun and outrageous stamps that a still life seems strange.  But here it is.  I was in my calm phase, I guess.  I really just loved coloring these.  

Be sure to visit Die Cut Divas for some challenge fun and today, there will be something special,.  I peeked.

Recipe

Bugaboo digital stamp Flower Shelf (50% off during the month of July 2013)

Copic markers (V93 for the shelf, G40 for the water, BG0000 for shading on vases, RV10, E95, R11 and more that I don't remember)

Cuttlebug

Spellbinders Rectangle die

Lawn Fawn paper

Note Card

How much fun can a Couple have?

How much fun can a Couple have annoying each other?  That's what I'm asking Stella and Gus over at Bugaboo Digital Stamps. I thought this was a fun outrageous image and so I've made this an outrageously colorful and fun card.  A heart, a flower, purple hair... what more can I say.   Well, ENJOY!

Close-up of the lovely couple

Hope you enjoy these stamps as much as I do.  They're funny and good for a laugh.  

Check out Die Cut Divas' for the Summer Flower challenge this month.  Dawn has some awesome posts for you as well as the link to the current challenge on the sidebar.

Recipe:

Bugaboo Digital Stamp Frame it - Stella and Gus - person to annoy

Cuttlebug 

Spellbinders Nestabilities - rectangles

Copic markers.  

Odds and ends on my desk

Let's have a little chocolate fun!

 

Let's have some CHOCOLATE FUN with Ruby from Bugaboo Digital Stamps.  She's just too much.much fun.  She's fun to color and the sentiment is too funny.  I know she has a bit too much green in her eyes, but she's still rather charming.

Don't you love the sentiment?

I want you to remember that it's 50% off at Bugaboo Digital Stamps this month.  WOOHOO!.  See Die Cut Divas' for more inspiration.  If you order from Bugaboo, remember to give Die Cut Divas' challenge blog credit for a referral. I have my cart full of charming stamps right now.

                                     CHRISTMAS

 IN JULY

 SALE !!

50% off

STOREWIDE

 

**discount applied at checkout**

A Little Maid

I just love this image!

Little Fancy SB st patricks from Bugaboo Digital Stamps is a favorite of mine.   Just color the shamrocks any color but green and they pass for flowers.  I can't get enough of her.  I don't want to use her too often or you're going to get awfully tired of seeing her.    

Be sure to visit the Die Cut Divas to enter the July challenge, Summer Flowers.  See the reason for my insistence of misdirecting the viewer from the type of flowers seen on this little sweetheart's bonnet and beneath her watering can.  She's perfect for so much more than St. Patrick's Day.  

Have a great DAY!

Happy July 4th to the U.S.A.

Happy July 4th, Independence Day, to the U.S.A.  This is the day most of us don't have to go into work and can plan family celebrations and get-togethers.  It's a time of parades, fireworks and parties.  Long before the 4th, you can hear firecrackers going off in the evening.  We have a great place in Sacramento to see a grand fireworks display at the State Fair Grounds.  Since the 4th falls on a Thursday, most of us don't want to go back to work on Friday.... so I'm NOT! 

Here is my card to celebrate the day.   This image rather reminded me of yesteryear and I just had to use it.

Close-up of the image

Close-up of the sentiment and stars

I thought that we might take a moment to reflect on life and the world, so the sentiment is perfect.

Thank you for stopping by.

Recipe:

Bugaboo digital stamp (Fancy SB st patrick)  - yes, it's a Saint Patty's Day image

Some Odd Girl (Renew - 17008)

Cuttlebug

The Paper Studio embossing folder 

Copic markers

Clear gem stars colored with Copics

I knew you would be surprised that the image is actually a St. Patrick's Day image, but I knew it would work out well  for most anything because I bet you couldn't tell that was a shamrock she was watering or that she had shamrocks in her bonnet, if I hadn't spilled the beans.  She is cute and fun to color.  I know I'll be using her for many more cards.  

Hot July Post

It's hot here in California and I'm hot to tell you about our Die Cut Divas challenge, but I'll let Dawn tell you all about it at Die Cut Divas.   I'm introducing a lady that I think you'll feel is perfect for July too.  The blue hair says it all.  Ruby's having a birthday.  Yep, don't know who she'll go to, but she'll make someone smile.  Let me introduce

Ruby!

Recipe:

Cuttlebug

Spellbinders Labels 8

Lawn Fawn heart die cut

Hero Arts Zig Zag - CG422 

Gems colored with a Copic marker R29