Saturday, June 29, 2013

Lights


Lights - I thought it was time to start making my Christmas cards and this challenge for my DT card at One Stop Craft Challenge was a good opportunity. The challenge this week is tags. Tags always scream Christmas to me.


We are sponsored by Fred, She Said and I choose this sweet, pre-colored image to work with. I started to get it uncolored, but I couldn't imagine it colored any prettier then they have colored her. Plus it is just nice to get a break from coloring once in a while.

I did add Diamond Glaze to the lights and Stickles to the scarf. I added some red bakers twine to the bottom of the image.

My DP is K and Company's Let it Snow.


I added a few holly leaves.


Here are my 3 tags. The poinsettia is a SB. I shaped the poinsettia with Sizzix Susan's Garden tool kit. The center is made using my Viva Decor pearl pen in Kiwi.

Sketch and Stash Challenge #116 Sketch
Stamp with Fun #273 Celebrate
Charisma Cardz #25 3-2-1    3 Holly leaves/tags    2 Designer Papers   1 Poinsettia
Southern Girls Challenge #72 Leaves = Holly leaves

Friday, June 28, 2013

Lily's


Lily's - For my DT card for Crafts 4 Eternity, I mad this card. I must say that this is one of my favorites that I have made recently.

My DP, center border, and sentiment die all came from Kaiser Craft's Chapter One paper pad. 


I matted the die cut with a SB. I added 3 small, black gemstones to the top of the sentiment.


My stick pin is one from a stick pin swap that I participated in at CDAC. It also is the challenge requirement of using metal.

The bow was tied using my Bow Easy and the lily's are made with Sizzix, new Susan's Garden die sets. I really, really like it, but it is very small and challenging to work with. This one is the mini lily.

Tuesday Morning Sketches #202 sketch
Emerald Faeries #44 Dies/punches
Challenges 4 Everybody #22 Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion Challenges #168
Inky Chicks #7 Anything Goes
C Inspirations #220 Ribbon
Simon Says Stamps Challenge Anything Goes
Crafts and Me Challenges #138 Anything Goes

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Sweeping Through


Sweeping Through - This is my DT card for Creative Card Crew. Our sponsor for this challenge is Scrapping Center. A great place to get your crafting goodies. Not only for paper crafting, but for all crafts.

Our challenge for this fortnight is NO DESIGNER PAPERS. I didn't realize how dependant I am on my papers to formulate my projects. I found myself just staring at my image, thinking what colors do I use?


My image is Saturated Canary's "Sweet Oklahoma." Sweet Oklahoma was created by Krista as a fund raiser, to help my daughter rebuild after she lost her house in the recent tornado that struck my town of Moore Oklahoma.

The fund raiser is now over, but the image is really cute and a great one to have in your collection.

I colored her with Copics and added Stickles to her bow and Diamond Glaze to her boots. You can't see the Diamond Glaze on the boots, but they feel like plastic boots.


I put some white ink on my brick embossing folder, then ran some navy card stock through it . I like the effect. Without the ink, the design got lost in the depth.

I finished of the card with a ribbon, tied with my Bow Easy and a charm attached. The dots on top of the image are Dew Drops.


Divas by Design Challenge  distressing
Simply Create Too #40 Use colors in your flag - USA - red, white and blue
Lacy Sunshine Challenge Blog #10 Anything Goes
Cupcake Craft Challenges #248 CAS with no flowers

Monday, June 24, 2013

Seal of Approval


Seal of Approval - It has been a busy time for me with recovering from the tornado, but I needed to de-stress by making my DT card for Seems a Little Sketchy.  


Here is the sketch. I really, really like this. We have a new team member, Sheena and she flipped the sketch. I love what she did with it.

My DP is Miss Nelly by Kaiser Craft.


My image is part of the circus set by Sweet 'N Sassy Stamps, our sponsor for this challenge. I colored the images with Copics. I added Stickles to the ball and Diamond Glaze to the seal to make the ball sparkly and the seal shiny.  My clouds were make with Tumbled Glass distress ink.


My circles were made with CM punches.


The sentiment is Hot Off the Press, punched with SU punches.

C Inspirations #219 For a Child
Charisma Cardz #24 Pink and Green
Totally Gorjuss #189 Birthday
Crafty Bloggers Network #12 Bright and Breezy

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Up, Up and Away


Up, Up and Away - Here is my DT card for One Stop Craft Challenge. Our challenge this week is "for a friend." We are sponsored by Pattie's Creations.


My image is one of Patties and it is entitled "PB Allie Balloon." Riding in a hot air balloon was on my bucket list and last spring, I had a chance to do it at the Wild Animal Park in San Deigo. I took 3 year old, Jace and 18 month old, Cal. It was tethered, so not so much of an adventure, but I really enjoyed it.

I colored PB Allie Balloon with Copics and added Stickles to some of stripes in the balloon.


My sentiment is Dream Weavers and was punched with a SU ticket punch. The die cut is SB.


My DP is Summer Soul by Fancy Pants Designs.

CLP Challenge #59 sketch
Cute Card Thursday #274 Summer
The Play Date Cafe #187 Orange Zest, Chartreuse, Jade
Color-me-Classroom #71 colors of summer
Crafty Bloggers Network #12 Bright and Breezy

Friday, June 21, 2013

Simple Thanks


Simple Thanks - Our challenge this fortnight at Alphabet Challenge Blog, is J for Jiffy and I have a real quick card for you today.

Many of you know that my daughter lost her home in the recent tornado. If you missed our story, you can read it here and see the her and Tyler's tv interview here.

She has had such an outpouring of people helping her and we needed a lot thank you's. The kindness of the people here and around the world has been so generous. Words can never express the love and encouragement that she has received. 

Thank you so much to everyone who has sent things or prayed for us.

My card is very simple. 3 of us made 30 of these in about 30 minutes. 

Mike cut the paper, Lindsay embossed and folded.

I stamped the blue pen and Mike stamped the brown Thanks. Both stamps are SU.

Lindsay and I finished up with the rhinestones. Mike tried to help with the rhinestones, but I had to fire him. He could not get the hang of evenly spacing and putting them in a straight line. LOL

Mike has been such a blessing to us during the time. I really don't know what we would have done without him. He organized all the work crews to pack up what was salvageable from her home and then helped her to move into her new home. He brought over a generator the day after the tornado and hooked up the refrigerator along with a TV and DVD player for the kids. That also made it possible for us to charge our cell phones. We were on our phones almost constantly with people checking on us and communicating with one another, so that was real important. My land line was out for almost a week. They would not let anyone into the disaster area and that included my house. My house was not damaged, but the damage was very near. Bless Mike's heart, he walked quite a distance in the pouring rain with gas for the generator.





Rainbows in a Storm


Rainbows in a Storm - Many of you know that I live in Moore, Oklahoma that was recently hit by a tornado.  My daughter lost her home in the storm. If you haven't read my story you can find a link to the post on my right side bar. You can also see my grandson's TV interview by clinking on that link, also in the sidebar.

Krista Smith of Saturated Canary did a wonderful and touching thing. She created this image and sold it for one dollar, last Friday only and is donating the money to my daughter, to help her rebuild. 

The image is named Sweet Oklahoma and is available at full price in Krista's here. The money won't go to my daughter, but you can still spread the word that we need help, by using the image.

My card today is my DT card for Crafts 4 Eternity. The challenge is spots and stripes. You can find both spots and stripes in the banners that top the card. There is also spots and stripes in the patchwork on the umbrella.

My designer paper is Summer Soul by Fancy Pants Designs. I liked the swirls. We know about rain swirling around you. LOL

The papers were inked with Tumbled Glass distress ink.


Here is a close up of the image - Sweet Oklahoma. I colored her to look like my daughter Lindsay. Lindsay's favorite color is pink and she is a shoe horse. She liked the sparkly boots. I knew it was something  that she would wear!


I had this sentiment by Inkadinkado and thought it was perfect for us. We have much to be thankful for. I used a SU punch to cut it with.


The banner was fussy cut from the Summer Soul papers. I added Baker's Twine in Blue Lagoon


Close up of the boots!

ABC-Challenge P for Pink
Crafty Bloggers Network #12 Bright and Breezy
Emerald Faeries #44 dies/punches
Challenges 4 Everybody #22 Anything goes
Dutch Dare-Card Challenges #222 Things that start with B - Banner and Boots

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Saturated Canary

Many of you know that I live in Moore, Oklahoma and that we were recently hit hard by a tornado. My daughter lost her home. You can read my account of that day here.

I had a very sweet surprise in my inbox this morning. Krista Smith has created an image just for my daughter.  You can get the image at a special price only until Friday. So please visit Krista's blog, and you too can get the image at a special. The proceeds are going to help my daughter rebuild.

Thank you so much, Krista!

Friday, June 14, 2013

Color Challenge


Color Challenge - Hi crafting friends. Thanks so much for visiting.

Today a have my DT card for Crafts 4 Eternity. We are sponsored by Crafty Sentiments. I used their Tess Summer Fun images. I love this image. The flowers are so gorgeous.


Our challenge at Crafts 4 Eternity is this color challenge. The colors are so vibrant and fun.



I colored Tess with Copics and sparkled up her dress and headband with Stickles.


My flowers are Sizzix's Susan's Garden daisy. I added a goosebumps gemstone to the center.


My DP is Kaiser Crafts Miss Nelly. I finished off my card with some ribbon and a big bow.

Crafts 4 Eternity is running a DT Call. If you want to join a great team, come join us!

Sketch and Stash Challenge #115 Sketch
No Matter Which Challenges Bingo  - ribbon, flowers, bows
Stamp with fun #215 Pink and Green
Ribbon Carousel Challenge #82 Fun in the Sun
Deep Ocean Challenge Blog #53 Girly

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Giddy Up


Giddy Up - It is time for another challenge at Creative Card Crew and this challenge is sponsored by QKR and Pizzazz Aplenty. Two prizes are up for grab's!


My  image is QKR Stampede's Ride'em Cowboy. I colored it with Copics and added the clouds with Tumbled Glass distress ink. I edged the image and my DP ( Kaiser Craft Secret Bird Society Collection) with a new product that I just picked up at the Scrap booking Convention in Arlington that I attended. It is Viva Decor 3D Stamp Paint. I love the sparkle in it.

The snails shell received a some Diamond Glaze to make it shiny.


My stick pin is made with a lot of different beads. I added this fun feather to the beads. My favorite place to shop for beads is at Pizzazz Aplenty. Judy carries such great stuff and she has awesome prices!

I added my sentiment (Stampin Up) to a double bow made with twine.



My cards are paper that was in the paper pad. I just cut them out and added some Fran-tage to it. I am having problems with the embossing powder flying off my paper. Does anyone have a solution to this? 

Digi Haven Anything Goes
Simply Create Too #39 Masculine
All Sorts Challenge #210 In the Garden
Lady Annes Challenges #3 Anything Goes
Corrosive Challenges by Janet #176 Animal Antics
Cards for Men #12 Boys

Monday, June 10, 2013

Turtle for Cal


Turtle for Cal -  It is time for another sketch challenge at Seems a Little Sketchy. My card for today, uses 4 images for My Grafico's Sea Animal's. I used the PNG files and layered them to create my "image." 


Here is our sketch by Tess. A very simple sketch and you have 2 weeks to use it.


I colored the images with Copics. I added Stickles to the fins on the seahorse, Diamond glaze on the turtle's shell and Mudd Puddles sand to the sea bed.


My DP is Travel Forever by Best Creation Inc. I used Peacock Feathers distress ink on all the edges. I used a SB die for the image and then finished off my card with some Baker's Twine.



Dutch Dare-Card Challenges #200 Summer's coming
Digi Haven Anything goes
Totally Paper Crafts #170 Punches/Dies
Fussy and Fancy Challenge #90 Bling - on seahorse
ABC-Challenge O for Open
Challenges 4 Everybody #22 Anything Goes
Corrosive Challenges by Janet #176 Animal Antics

Friday, June 7, 2013

Robot


Robot - Today is Friday and that means it is time for another challenge at Crafts 4 Eternity. This weeks challenge is masculine projects. 

My DP is Kaiser Craft, Technologic. All papers were inked with Vintage Photo distress ink.


My image is Roddy by Crafts 4 Eternity. I colored Roddy with Copics.

My gears were found in the jewelry craft isle at Michaels. I can no longer find them there. Sorry if you would like some.


My sentiment is Dream Designs. The tabs are a long die cut in the paper pad. I cut it and stamped the sentiment on it.



Simply Create Too #39 Masculine
Charisma Cardz #22 Layers
Digi Haven Anything Goes Digi
Aud Sentiments Challenge Blog Anything Goes with a Sentiment - Sentiment of to tab

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Recovering in Moore

I have promised a full account as to the time line from Monday on. So here goes!

Monday, I was having a slow morning. I was reading my email and just kind of poking around. The only thing on my calendar was to pick up Tyler (my 8 year old grandson) after school and then the 3 year old from Day Care. The baby was to be picked up from the Day Care at 4 for an appointment, so I had no need to get him.

I had been trying to get into the beauty salon for more than a week, so I texted asking when I would be able to get in. There was only 3 more days of school and I wanted to get in before then, so that I would not have to take the 8 year old Tyler with me.

The response was, "Could I be there in 15 minutes?) So I headed out the door.

The salon is in the same plaza as the Day Care, so I decided after my salon appointment, to go ahead and get the 3 year old. It was roughly 2 PM. Once I was inside the Day Care, one of the teacher's came into the room and urged me to take the baby as well, because they were watching the weather and were about to start calling parents to pick up children.

Once I had the 2 little ones strapped into car seats, I headed to Plaza Tower Elementary to pick up Tyler. Half way there, they came on the radio and announced that there was a tornado coming down and to take shelter immediately. They gave the location and it was very near to where I was at.

At that point, I realized that I would not be able to get Tyler and I needed to get the 2 that I had, into a shelter.  I drove as fast as I could to my home, where I had a large tornado shelter.

It was pouring rain as I made the dash towards home. Several times, I considered stopping and running into a business, but in the end, keep driving.

The road was blocked at Highland East Middle School, by parents trying to get their kids. No one could get through either direction. I skirted into a neighborhood and and using my GPS, I was able to work my way out, back onto 4th street, but on the other side of Highland East.

As I pulled into my garage, I told the 3 year old that I needed him to help me keep the baby safe and that when I unbuckled his car seat, he was to run as fast as he could to the backdoor and wait for me.

He asked if he could run real fast (a no-no in our house) and I told him, "yes."

Now in the house, I stopped only to grab a flashlight. The 3 year old waited on the covered porch as I opened and climbed into the shelter with the baby, my purse and a bag of supplies that I had previously packed. The 3 year old then ran to me and I helped him into the shelter. And then I locked the shelter door down.

I few minutes later, I received a call from my husband asking me if I was in the shelter. He was in Alaska visiting our son, who is stationed there. Rick was watching an Oklahoma channel live and knew that what was going on. I let him know that I had the 2 younger children, but had been unable to get Tyler. Our daughter, who is a single mother, often works at the Moore Medical Center, but on that day, she was at the Norman branch.

I then waited.

Eventually, I heard a swishing sound, but nothing like the sound that I had heard then a tornado went over our house a few years back. Shortly thereafter, I heard the sirens of emergency vehicles.

My neighbors and I emerged. We found some debris, but thought that Moore had dodged a bullet and that all was fine. My power was out, so we were not able to catch any news reports.

After the storm passed, my daughter called (I could receive calls, but could not call out, due to cell towers being damaged) and asked who I had with me and if everyone was OK. I relayed that I had the 2 little ones, and that where was no damage here and we were fine.

Lindsay was about to run out the door to leave work to head over and get Tyler, when a co-worker got up, turned the radio off, and asked my daughter to pray with her. She had heard about the school and did not want my daughter to hear how bad it was. Lindsay then left with a co-worker driving her.

Lindsay and Heidi are RN's and were in scrubs, because of that, they were able to get into the disaster area, fairly quickly. Tyler had been walked with many of the students to a nearby church with a big parking area, to await parents.

When Lindsay seen Tyler, he had blood on him. That blood turned out not to be Tyler's. His teacher told how Tyler had helped calm other children and that he had helped another child by holding his arm in place. We believe that his arm was broken and Tyler had held it together for him.

Lindsay called and let me know that she had Tyler and that he was safe and that it was real bad. It was not until later that we learned that the children who had died, were in the same hallway with Tyler.

Lindsay then went to her house. She lived right across from the Moore Medical Center, which was destroyed. Her street was not much more than rubble. Her house had a sink embedded in the roof. Her bedroom windows had been blown out so strongly that the bedroom was blown off and was in her front yard. The water from the pool had been emptied into the bedroom. We later found a desk from one of the schools in the pool.

A male friend of Lindsay's was at her house before her. He had pulled a deceased infant from the nearby 7-11. He and another guy carried the family to the pump area, so that they could be taken to the morgue. He took his shirt off to cover the baby with. I won't tell the details of the condition of the baby. It is very graphic.

While all of this is going on, my husband, up in Alaska knew that Tyler's school was hit and that Tlyer was in it. He was going crazy with worry. He keep calling me (not mentioning that Plaza Towers had been hit) asking about Tyler. It was a while before he heard that Tyler was safe.

Lindsay and Heidi then went to the hospital to see if they could help. The hospital had all the help that they needed so they headed to my house.

The friend had Tyler and was trying to get him to me. Lindsay arrived about 7ish. Again, they were able to get around because they are nurses. Mike was not as fortune getting around. It was almost midnight before they arrived at my house. The traffic was in gridlock with all the roads covered in debris.

We were without power for 2 days and did not get internet or cable for almost week. It is hard to complain about these things in light of all the destruction.

We continue to find small injuries on Tyler. He had a rock embedded in his earlobe and thousands of tiny pebbles embedded in his head. He has lots of bruises.

The Day Care Center that the younger 2 children had been in, is also gone. They had 13 children and several teachers left when the tornado hit. The teachers took the children into a bathroom and laid on top of them. All teachers suffered some injuries and some of the children had minor injuries.

The Moore Medical Center is destroyed. All of Lindsay's co-workers that were in that building are safe, but badly shaken. All of their cars are totaled. One of cars can not even be found.

The tornado was only on the ground for 16 minutes. On a normal day, it is about a 20 minute drive from the Day Care Center to my house. Plaza Towers Elementary was in between the Day Care Center and my home.

Gray lines are the path of the tornado. Yellow shows the area that was damaged. Red area is extreme damage.

The red circle with the #1 beside it, is the Day Care that the 2 little boys went to.
Red circle #2 is Plaza Towers Elementary School
Red circle #3 is Lindsay's house
Red circle #4 is my house

You can see that the Day Care Center and Plaza Towers Elementary were in the extreme area.

I did not go out for almost a full week; as my job was to take care of my daughter's 3 children. I had not realized until later, how close it got to my house. The tornado veered North about 2 blocks from me or my house also would have been hit.

We are blessed, it was so close for all of us. Minutes and feet literally made a difference for our family.

You can see Tyler and Lindsay's interview here. Sorry, you will have to get through the Moore liquor store bit first.

On May 31st another tornado hit Moore again. This time there was not as much damage, but the house belonging to Tyler's father, burned down to the ground on that night. I am not sure what caused it to catch fire, but there was a lot of lightning that night. My church also had a window brake during the second bout of tornadoes.

In and among the horror and grief, we have had some light moments, such as the 3 year old exclaiming that the tornado spilled  the pool and Tyler being told to get out of the house what was most important to him first, and he grabbed a can of Vienna sausage.

Every disaster relief church that we went to, gave us Vienna sausage for him.

It has been a rough 2 weeks, but we have seen the best of people helping us from all over the world.

With your help, we will rebuild Moore. It really is a wonderful community. The residents have a strong bond to one another that only such a disaster can forge.

Thank you to everyone who helped or prayed for us. Your outpouring has meant so much. You have made it possible for us to hope.

*****

Some people have asked me about where to send donations to help Lindsay. You can send them through paypal using my email address: mariharpham@hotmail.com  I will get it to her. I see her almost daily.