Kim's Halloween Blog Hop today.....

There is a fun, quick Halloween Blog Hop going on today only starting over at Kimberli's Creations Hop on over there and have a look and enter to win some great candy!!

Have a fruitful day!! Hugs, Judy

My First Bloggy award!!!!

Oh what a wonderful Sunday Morning!
I went to my blog this morning and had such wonderful surprises waiting for me:-) First, I had lots of comments to publish and one of them -- Eva at Eva's Scraps n' Cards -- awarded me the Versatile Blogger Award. When I started my blog, Eva found it and became my first Follower!! I was so happy that someone took the time to "find" me and she became immediately special in my book! Her blog is wonderful and inspiring, and if you want a great bloggy friend and supporter, you need to go visit Eva and follow her! Show her some of your sweetest love:-)


As a recipient of The Versatile Blogger Award, there are 3 rules to follow…
1. Thank the person who awarded you.
2. Tell 7 things about yourself that your readers may not know.
3. Award 7 other bloggers with this award.

Once again, Eva, you have been one of my 'Sweetest' since I started my blog and you came to share your precious bloggy love. Thank you so much for thinking of me:-)

You may not know:
1. I have been married to my Bestest Friend for 42 years!
2. I got married at 18 --- do the math:-)
3. We have 3 beautiful children -- 2 boys, 1 girl -- and 4 perfect grandkids -- 2 boys, 2 girls!
4. I have had the same best girl friend since Junior High -- Kathy:-)
5. I wanted to have a career in medicine but was a mommie instead (no regrets now)
6. I cared for my dad who had cancer for 7 years, before he passed 2 years ago. I miss him still.
7. My motto is "Let Go, Let God!!" I depend on my faith to help me remember that the past in the past, the future is yet to come, TODAY is what matters!


Picking the people to give this wonderful award to is the hardest for me. I visit so many great blogs and would like to present it to so many of them:-) I might look around to see if anyone has not gotten their first blog award like me and send one their way to help build their follower base -- that would be totally awesome!! Here they are and I would love for you to visit them and share some of your love and follow their blog:-)

1. Trenise at http://scrappin-neesie.blogspot.com
2. Angie at http://atuttletime.blogspot.com/
3. Lynda at http://memoriesintyme.blogspot.com
4. Tami at http://tamboscreations.blogspot.com
5. Janet at http://ladyluvbug.blogspot.com
6. Barbara at http://barbarab3.blogspot.com/
7. Paula at http://preciouspagesbypaula.blogspot.com/

I am so pleased to pass on this award to all the deserving bloggers!! I also have to give a shout out to some others that received the award when I did and so very deserve it in my book: Audrey, Shirl, Lisa. Actually, I love each and every one of my followers who did not have to look and find me, but took the time to do it!! You are all so very special in my book of life:-)

I hope I brought a moment of happiness to a few and that you all have a wonderful weekend!

A very quick Boo Kitty update for those who want to know:-) We will get him back home on Tuesday and he did not lose the leg. He is going to have an improvised hip/leg brace for over a month and we hope it will make everything heal properly. Daddy Tyson is here visiting today and he spent the first 30 minutes searching for Boo -- smelling every where -- so cute:-)

Hugs, Judy

Paper Playtime challenge #57

2nd Post for today!
I was going to save this for tomorrow, but I need to get the project posted today! I am at the dead line! This challenge is with Paper Playtime and the requirements are:

For our FIRST CRICUT CREATIONS CHALLENGE...
CH#57 - make a Cricut Creation using
BLACK, ORANGE, & PURPLE.
Challenge ends Saturday, Oct. 15th @ NOON Alaska Time

I am going to be going to a Bridal shower in a couple of weeks so I decided to make an easel card for her in these colors, using the oldie-goldie "Walk in My Garden" Cricut cartridge. I had this, also old, Creative Memories paper that is orange with the purple print that was perfect! I used purple card stock for the base. Black, orange and purple card stock for the butterfly. Black ribbon flowers by Offray -- I painted the centers orange and glittered them. A black velvet ribbon with a sheer orange ribbon on top. Black doodles and purple and orange jewels on the wings. I pop-dotted it on top. On the inside, I used a butterfly charm and 2 purple jewels as the stopper. The words "for you and love" were in the WIMG cart and I had to stamp the word "with". Fairly quick and easy card to make, and I got to use an old cart!! I thought it would be fun to make something 'not Halloween':-)

Thanks for visiting and tell me if you think she is going to appreciate my hand made card??
Kitty Hugs, Judy

Celebrate the Occasion Challenge #34

Hi Bloggy pals,
Another day, another challenge entry! Today I am entering a two page layout in the Celebrate the Occasion challenge #34. It is: "Any Occasion (must use red, black and white) "Entries due by Sunday, October 16th, 11:59 PM (EST)

I am working on a wedding album, so I decided that the colors red, black and white would be great for a double page spread! The bottom pages are from a Colorbok Wedding Paper pack. Then I used red and white cardstock to made the picture and sentiment boxes and the heart. I inked all the edges in black and I added clear rhinestones in the small circles of the flowers -- these you cannot see. I added small white rose buds - one on the sentiment and one on the heart. I am quite happy with the results (and I have 2 more pages done!!)

Thanks again, Judy

Catch the Bug Challenge -- Halloween, anything but a card

I'm back!
Second time today! Since I am home alone, I have had some time to make a few things to enter in challenges. This is the reason I even considered starting the blog:-) Any way, I looked around for anything that I might want to try and this is the first post, being that it is the one ending the soonest - tee hee! It is the Bugaboo Stamps, Catch the Bug Challenge Blog:
The rules are simple:

Create a Halloween ABC (anything but a card) project and post a link to it on Bugaboo Stamps' challenge blog, Catch the Bug, by 10/15/11 at 6:00 AM EST to be entered a random drawing for three digi prize packs - seven (7) (using a Bugaboo image only), four (4), or two (2) using any image!

Limited to 3 projects per person please

I made two projects using Bugaboo stamps -- which happen to be one of my most favorite digi stamps !! The first one is a decorated gift bag using the new "Make it Snappy - boo to you" digi. These new Make it Snappy are soooo easy to work with! Just cut out the square and color - easy peasy! I used a bag I picked up for a song at Target a long time ago:-) Black card stock, Imaginence Halloween paper, glitter and Halloween brads and several ribbons and fibers from my stash. The sentiment is right on the digi, so you are ready to go. I colored this one with water color pencils and, yes, I have so much to learn about coloring still:-)

Next, I decided to try a pillow box which I have not made before. Something else that turned out to be easy peasy! I used black card stock to make the box, added 3 stripes of a green self-sticking paper tape that I believe I got with a "candy" package and I totally loved it! On this one I used the Bugaboo Stamps digi called "Pumpkin Witch" (it is only $1.00). I tried using pens on this one and it is just okay. Then I added red, black and green Stickles to liven it up. It will be a fine treat holder for one of the g-kids:-)

It was fun making projects that I plan to use:-) I will be posting for a couple more over the next few days, so if you will let me know what you think, I would love it!

Kitty Hugs, Judy
Please look at the next post to see the latest on sweet Boo Kitty:-)

Boo Kitty update...

Hello All,
We have a bit of "good news - bad news" about our sweet little Boo. He is getting much better, but is still at the vet trying to get the infection to completely clear up. Another x-ray now shows a separation and dislocation in the top of his femur. The vet -- who I have already shown to be a little too blunt -- said he may have to amputate the leg:-( I am totally okay with it, but I worry about him being too small to have another very invasive procedure so soon. But the leg is virtually useless as it is now. The separation was there before and couldn't be seen. The intense swelling pushed it out of place to the point that he does not think there is any way he can align and fix it. At his young age, there is the bone with about an inch of cartilage between each joint so things don't fuse like a bone break. This was probably there when we got him, but because he was still so tiny and not even walking that well at first, we did not notice until he started to move around more. He is already feeling so much better and wants to play when I go see him -- he gives me his special kissy bites and snuggles under my chin. I still thank God that he "found" us and wouldn't take the world for him:-) I guess he is going to end up as a very expensive kitty, but there is nothing else I will consider beyond getting him healthy:-) At this time I just don't know what to anticipate or when it will happen, but I may have to rename him 'Peg-leg Boo'. Keep us in your prayers for the best outcome for the precious little guy.

I have some challenge projects that I plan to post tonight and tomorrow, so check back if you would like :-)

Thanks, Judy

Boo Kitty and some projects....

Hello Monday!!
This weekend was pretty difficult. Boo Kitty's swollen hip and leg started to look worse on Saturday night and Sunday -- I mean way worse -- he wanted to be alone and I got very worried. So first thing this morning, it was back to the vet. As I figured, he had a very bad abscess. Before we were out of the room. the vet was washing for surgery and said that because Boo is so young and small. he might not make it:-( He did!! But he is still not out of the woods and we won't know for sure until tomorrow. I am a virtual 'basket case' and the vet -- a new one for us -- told me that I am way to attached to the cat! WHAT?! Are you kidding me?? I might not be going back to him. Of course I am attached!! I have spent the last three weeks caring for an adorable newborn, and, yes, we bonded. I am not a happy camper! I will let everyone know what happens, but I think he is going to do great, just to spite that mean vet!

With Hubby's help, I was able to get into my craft room to make a couple of Halloween 'boxes' this weekend. The challenge is posted at http://happylifecraftywife.com/?p=885. There you will find a link to http://www.loriwhitlock.com/blog/ to get the box svg patterns for free. The deadline to link up is this Wednesday. I made versions of both of the boxes as shown below. I also had the chance to do a few scrapbook pages and I have a couple to share with you.

First are my Halloween boxes:

I used "imaginisce" double sided paper for the boxes -- coordinating the tops and bottoms. I put glitter papers under the ghost and spider web cutouts. On the spider box, the spider web and spider on the back are an svg by Beary Sweet Designs using scrap black card stock, googly eyes, sequins and red Stickles and a little white chalk ink to hi-lite. The spider on the web cutout is a black pom pom with eight legs made by stiffening black floss with glue and shaping. Red Stickle eyes. The front corner webs and word "Eek" were from a free svg from Svg Cuts. With the ghost box, I used 3 modified, cute ghosts from the Bootiful svg file by Scrapping Bug. The fence was a file from DTS Arts. BOO title is an old file from Mydiecuts. I used all scrap paper in my stash, inked the edges and had some Making Memories ribbon on both. The boxes are super easy to make and then you need your 'thinking cap' -- tee hee!

Here are a couple of layouts. The first is using the Mickey and Friends cartridge and Zooballoo Font cartridge. The second, Just Plane Cute, is with a file from Little Scraps of Heaven. Forgive me for a lack of further details -- that is the hardest thing for me:-)

Now, I need to post a couple pictures of my sweet little Boo Kitty taken last week:-) I am going to be confident that I will be posting many more to come....

Thanks so much for visiting!! Judy

One more on Boo Kitty...

Hi All!!
Well, my little fur ball, Boo, is a month old now and has made his first trip to the vet. He is a boy for sure. Unfortunately, last Saturday he did something to his back leg and refused to walk on it and was 'fussy'. That's why the trip to the vet. He did x-rays and nothing is broken, probably a bad sprain. Now he has considerable swelling in his hip area that I think is the result of the vet forcing his leg for the x-ray --- arggghh:-( He is up to a little bit more than 1 pound, finally fills two hands, is completely litter trained, is weaned from the bottle and likes kitty chow (that I still have to 'serve' from my hand), and he has learned his way around most of the house:-) He is running on 3 legs and loves to play when he is awake -- fav spots are behind the bedroom door and under our feet! I have some cute pics that I haven't uploaded yet so I will post them later:-)

My Hubby has decided to have surgery after checking out all the options. His nephew is an oncologist and that is what he advised for his situation. There will be a hospital stay, and some recovery time, but the cancer should be completely gone and that is the result we are looking for:-) His doctor does robotic surgery so it is much less invasive than the old way. If we had to deal with cancer again, I am sooo happy that it is one that can be treated and removed.

After adopting Boo Kitty, I wasn't able to get to my "scrap cave" for a couple of weeks:-( This week, I took him up with me and got some work done on my waiting albums:-) When I get those pics off my camera, I will show ya'll some of the pages. I also bookmarked a few challenges that I want to enter over the weekend. Wish me luck!! And, of course, I want to do some hops -- I have been giving a lot of thought about handmade gifts for Christmas and I always pick up great ideas from the hops!!

Thanks for visiting!! Judy

100 Follower Giveaway.....

Good afternoon friends...
No, not my 100 followers - LOL - that will probably never happen!! This is a giveaway at http://creationbyshirl.blogspot.com/ Shirl is only about 19 people from 100 and I thought maybe I could help her in a small way:-)