Thursday, September 24, 2009

TRULY, happy we're friends!

Sweethearts of my blog~life: this is for you!




It had been a few days, and I've been thinking A LOT about the beautiful and talented friends I have made, since signing up for "life with blog" not all that long ago... *happy sigh*! With some of you, I have had delicious opportunity to get to know you a bit {or A LOT!} better, and others just make me smile with kind {and sometimes downright hilarious comments} and/or the sheer delight of seeing your shiny image in my beloved followers medallion (I don't know what you call that!?! Doh!) Anywhoo, I've been giving a lot of thought to my blogging and crafting here in cyber space, lately~ and just feeling all swoony and thankful.... And, apparently, a burning need to share that! HA HA! Hope you don't mind.

Anywhoo, another burning desire I've had... is to participate in this fun color challenge by Lauren Meader. I haven't had the time to make it to her challenge to quite sometime, and these colors just called to me in a way that I could not refuse.... Oh, and then there's my ROCK STAR, IRL friend, Miss Dana G. from Paper Daydream! {Yipee!} She's one of Lauren's talented designers and SHE made a JUICY sample that just had my stamps JUMPING from my work top, THROWING themselves towards these colors... and what's a stampy girl to do...? Get inky, SISTAS! Speaking of color:




Mmmmmmm, I smell me some fall! I made the rounds of what the D/T had done with these and ooooow, me oh my! Lot's of interpretation, indeed! What a fun and tantalizing palette and I got a little more excited and added a skosh bit more color! And, for little old me... A trip WAY out of my box!




Can you see the absence of drop shadow!?! And what about those eyes! No touch up with fine tip markers.. *gasp! I left them... AS IS! This is me TRYING to be crisp and graphic: letting stamps dance and show the beauty of the chosen colors! {Note the LACK of extra materials/ no stacks of card stock, stamped, embossed, inked or sewn... this is sort of... au natural!} Big, big, BIG exit from my box! Seriously big. When I say simple is COMPLEX in my weird brain, I'm NOT kidding.

(Did we discuss blogging being cathartic? Fo-gitaboutit!)




I know a little somethin' about man's best friend.., but I digress... "Man's Best Friend", the set from Stampin' Up! NOT retired, btw.. It's DORMANT, but you can still order it... (same as Sip by Sip, just in case you were still scratching your head about where that one went... ) I, for one, love this set! I used nearly every piece (sans fire hydrant) but added this great tree, once again, from "Forest Friends" because it's just so fun!

Speaking about "Man's best...." WHAT!?! How 'bout "people's best friends!" Here are some of mine, IRL!


Nacho (center) and Oatmeal (aka ~ Oatis, Oatie, Oatster.... you get the nickname drill...)


That's Scout peeping from behind Oatis with her devastating eyes! Such a great dog! Oh, they all are! But boy has Scout taught me the value of good Germans! Heee Hee Plus, she made lil' Joe (as seen in this post a ways back - scroll down once you get there, if you're interested!)


I'm thinkin' that this picture of the "three amigos" does an excellent job of illustrating why I love this set sooooo much!



Whoooopeee! This is what I call, HAPPY stamping! I hope you've had some lately! Stamp on!

xo-

Elise

Supplies:

C/S - Stampin' Up!
Ink - Stampin' Up!
Sizzix dies/machine - Sizzix/S/U!
Stamp and Write Markers - S/U!
Ribbon - Making Memories

16 comments:

Rosemary said...

Love your card, dearie!! Go glad that I have gotten to know you over these many months! I hope I make you smile and laugh the way you make me smile and laugh! Oh and the doggies??? They are just too cute!

Andi (RrlScrapGal) said...

Adorable card :) I love all your fun details!! Yes, the eyes, the colors, the tail!
Sweetness!!! LOVE that color challenge!!!! My kinda colors.. earthy..

And I just love your blog, girl! It's fun 'hearing' you chat, and visit and it's a great place to get a smile!!!

OK.. about dog nicknames...
We have a dog name Louie (pronounced "Lewee").. Anyway, he goes by Lou.. Or, One eyed louie (he is now blind in one eye), and then again, Louie Lou Eye! The last is my fave... twisted, I know...

Linda aka Oz said...

Well there Naked Stamper! (re: au natural) I like that card a bushel load full. I am very partial to your drop shadows and layers upon layers of luscious papers but I (and you know I speak the truth of this) think it is good to test your strength in other areas once in awhile. I firmly believe that we should stay with our box, but keep the damn lid off and look out daily!! Linda aka Oz

3treescreations@gmail.com said...

That is the cutest card EVER!!!!!! I just love it!

Dana Gustafson said...

Bark, bark, bark, YIP!
aka:(so glad we're friends, TOO!)
Hey stampalicious! You humble me with your sweet praise! You know I have learned SO much from you over the years that I can't even count all the ways you have changed my craft into a passion, obessesion even!

Your card! *gasp!* I love it! These little doggies are definitely reminiscent of your herd. They just need more of their buds in the background (horses, cats, and a menagerie of stop-in strays) to complete the animal circus at the rancho! I've never met a girl more devoted to her four legged friends and I so admire that...just don't ask me to feed alfalfa to the horses! ah-choo! But I stray from my point....this card rocks! Well done, my friend!

Craft u Crazy said...

Love your card. Love your pooches,and I hope to get to know you really well. I live far away in South Africa but that is what is so great about blogfriends, it doesn't mater where we live.

Keep up your lovely creations.

Hugs
Adele
Craft u Crazy.

AKiteFlier said...

Now this is clever and unique! Super fun little doggies - thanks for playing!

Dotty Jo said...

Hi Elise, well aren't you just the sweetest!!! Love that card - those little doggies are so cute. Thanks for sharing the pics of all your little furry friends - it must be fun at meal times with all those hungry pups! Big hugs to you my talented and funny friend, Jo x

Andrea M said...

Love your card!!!! I must have this stamp set :)

Karen said...

Oh you crack me up!! Okay, so you wanna know what made me giggle??? It might make you giggle too....... When I read three little letters here in your post, giving Dana her deserved props, I couldn't help but flash back a couple of years........and here you are with a fantastic, fun, creative blog and you're speaking in online-ease......."IRL"!!! I couldn't help but smile! :>:>

Love your fun card and my kidlets thought you made this post just for them, including all those fun pics of your pups!!! I'm loving all that color!

You just keep on rockin' your online home and we'll keep on comin'! At least you know I will! :>:>

Courtney Baker said...

What a fun post, and seriously this card is another stunner! Love it girl! So glad we are blog-o-friends!

Courtney Baker said...

PS. I so just made up that word. O well.

Jane said...

so so ADORABLE!! Love it!

MalinZ said...

Love this card, cute dogs and fantastic colors.

LeAnne said...

SOooooooo cute, Elise! Love this for many, many reasons--the dogs, the shape, the colors, the inspiration (wow) and the photos of your sweeties! My sister has a dog named Otis....funny about that!

JoAnn V. (http://joboogie.typepad.com) said...

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog and for your kind comments. I really admire your work too - I've added you to my Google Reader.

Love this card - so perfect for fall! Fabulous!

Have a wonderful weekend!