Crafters Companion Challenge for July

I just won this FABULOUS stamp set called Wish Upon a Star and decided to use it to make a card for the  Crafters Companion Challenge this month of anything goes! Although I'm not too much into the Christmas in July - it fits that too!!

Giveaway at My Crafting Channel

Another great giveaway is taking place over at My Crafting Channel'.   The Giveaway a $150 gift card to Jo-Ann's once she reaches 250 followers (at 130 now).
1. Become a follower 

2. Like her page on Facebook 

3. Grab her button and place on your blog

4. Make a post on your blog about the giveaway

Open to US residents only...

Winner will be chosen using Random.org 

There will also be 5 additional surprise goodies for 5 other people beside the main winner.

Needing some help please.. regarding copic markers..

Hi everyone.
Well, I have a few copics and I'm getting a little better at using them, but not buying them.
The ones I have so far mostly were purchased individually at Michael's using a coupon.  Our local Hobby Lobby wasn't carrying them, and neither does the local JoAnn's.  I did get an 8 piece starter set when I won a gift certificate from Amazon, and I've added slowly to where I have about 25 now.

Anyway.... I have about six or eight  that now need a refill (I assume that, as the tips are getting lighter and it's not coloring as well).
I've seen comments on blogs before that it's MUCH cheaper to buy a refill (as it can fill at least a couple/three times).  What I need to know is the best and most inexpensive place in the USA  to buy them.


So, please let me know where you get your refills and how much they cost and an idea on the shipping.  
If you are a store owner - do you carry all the numbers? or just a select bunch - as on a couple of sites I couldn't find the specific ones I needed.


I'd appreciate any and all help.

Finally.. all my Crafters Companion prizes have arrived.

Well, as of this evening, all my prizes I won during the month of May from Crafter's Companion have now arrived.  Took almost exactly 2 months to get, and I was getting so impatient to get them all. I did receive a couple of them earlier, but the ones I was most anxiously waiting on were the first two I won the first week in May - and now they've arrived.

So I'm off to play and learn to use them.  I won the Ultimate Crafter's Companion tool (it's awesome!) and also the Envelobox Creator and the Boxer!  These also came with a CD that  helps explain how to use it (but I've been reviewing these videos online already - and they seem perfect for me who hates math (it appears done for ya!!!).  Plus I won a Clevercut Mini trimmer and also a set of Rock-a-Blocks.  

Here's my little Sweetie Dahlia helping grandma at the computer.  She loves it.  We watch videos, and look for music (her favorite thing) and she's just overwhelmed with the goodies all around my craft room.  Can't seem to take it all in - she holds out her hand wanting something but before I can get it (if it's OK for her to handle) she's off staring at something new she'd like.

Happy 4th of July to everyone.
I'm still taking things a little easy - been sick the past couple of weeks with a rotten cold needing tons of meds (I know, no idea how I could get such a bad one in this rotten 100+ heat?!)  And tomorrow is my birthday, so I'm definitely taking it easy then!!

a couple new cards....

Here are a few of the cards I've been working on lately.  I have several birthday cards to do this month again, and of course Father's Day.  And just a few "staying in touch" type cards also.  I'm still waiting on my blog candy wins from last month's Crafter's Companion giveaways, and I can hardly wait!

Hubby has his retirement party tomorrow night, and we're excited for that.  Because it's a weeknight a lot of family and friends can't come, and a few have sent regrets because of their vacation plans, but I hope it gets a nice turnout anyway.

Problems with Blogger!!!!

I read that a lot of people besides myself are having TON OF PROBLEMS with Blogger.

Please, if you have offered candy, and expect the winner to contact you, please consider notifying them yourself.
I am totally unable to get to the blogs I usually follow (there are WAYYY tooo many for me to remember every single one) and therefore I have no way to respond if I was chosen a winner.

How did this get started anyway to make the person come back or miss out. Why not at least make ONE attempt to notify the winner. I can understand not letting it just go on and on without a response, but come on.... sometimes things are out of our control.
So if you are giving away blog candy of any sort, PLEASE make at least one attempt to locate the winner (by email) and let them know! One attempt other than just putting it on your blog for a few hours.
Some already do this (thanks a lot!!!) but most just want to see their counts go up and get visitors coming back. I personally always come back to blogs - (I have only ever discontinued with 2 or 3 blogs that changed their content significantly).

 And BLOGGER - please quit messing around with the basics!!

Beccy's Place challenge again

Here's my card for the current challenge at Beccy's Place . I love her images.

May is the Month at Crafters Companion!

Have you been entering the drawings at Crafter's Companion blogs? You should be! I've been a winner, and can't wait to get my package!

There is still some time, until the end of the month, to get in on the action.  Go check it out! And enter - often and at all the DT for prizes that are certainly worth it!!

Blog candy Scrappin' It

More blog candy can be found at Scrappinit , and I wanna Win it!
She's asked us to comment about our blessings.  My blessing is my family - all of it:  the good, the bad and the ugly! It has not always been perfect, but I have learned to deal with it.  My favorite is my fairly new granddaughter - she brings us joy!  My newly retired husband and I both are thrilled we get to see her often. We make each other laugh a lot!

Sweet Pea candy May 24

More candy from Sweet Pea at will be given away on May 24 @ Milo Lilja's. Check it out!

A few pictures from our recent trip with Dahlia to meet  up with relatives in St. Louis. It's her first visit and chance to meet cousin Layla!

My son Steve with Dahlia and Layla.  They LOVED to scream together.  I think they had a ball!

April Beccy's Place Challenge

Here's the card I made for the April Challenge at Beccy's Place .  She requested we use Chocolate colored papers, trim and embelishments. and I could not resist using these Chocolate covered Strawberries! Yummy!

Market Street Stamp Block Party

Here's a card I made today for the Market Street Stamps Block Party!  Cute little dress image - which was free!

This is the time of year my Mom always started hanging things on the line outside again, so I just went with the flow!

Scrapinit Discoveries

There is a another weekly contest over at  http://scrapinit.blogspot.com and Einat wants people to write a post about something they "discover" in the second half of life, and my comment is that I think everyone wishes they had the knowledge they've obtained lasting that long, but wish they were teenagers again!  I do! I've discovered that if I could do it again, Oh the things I'd change.  By the ton!  And probably not what most people would think.  I think I did the major things right, but my life could have used some tweeking!  Do you agree?  If so, join in!

Hubby has retired!

I have a non-crafty blog today.  My husband has retired from his job at the newspaper after 38 years!  He was offered a buy-out and it was too good to pass up. That industry is failing more and more every day and although he's not quite old enough for Social Security, it was time.  The stress in the past few years were starting to affect him a little, and even though he absolutely loved his job  -  He's really happy now!

So, we'll see how things go.  He's already trying to get me out of my craft room.  And sometimes that could be a good thing, but not always!  And he is already planning to get me to de-clutter the whole house, and especially my craft room - Mercy Me!  I'm resisting like crazy.  But then again, I could use the help!

Hang in there with us, and I'll be sure to let you know as things progress (or regress, I'm not sure which).

new punch I won

Here's a card I made today, using a new punch I just won.  It's fab.  I love it already. And so useful!  I won several others things, but you'll just have to wait and see for those!  This is a card for my little Dahlia's mama who has a birthday coming up real soon, and she loves elephants - so how fitting!

Here's a new card I made for a friend of my older brother - who sometimes has been like a brother to me. I think he'll like the humor - about me always being younger!  I really love this image by Mo - I've used it for so many different things!

Scrappy Chick has some goodies

The Scrappy Chick has some goodies up for grabs for some of her followers, and I'm one who hopes to win!  Some paper, stencils, gift certificate and some stamps - Goodies! for 4 winners.  Worth to trip to her blog to find out how to enter.

Here's my card for the new Challenge over at Digi Darla's.  This one is called, "Festive Flowers" and I found a cute little image for that.  My girlfriend Laura has several gardens, and although a lot of it is produce, she does have flowers too!  And my flower beds have all just been redone (by someone else I may add!) and ready for new plants.  I can hardly wait to get it set up with new stuff.

My sweet Dahlia

This picture was from a few weeks ago. She loves to rough-house around. My son Steven does that with her a lot I think! Here's she's trying to get my toes!

Sweet Dahlia Anne, she's getting so big. She's just 14 months old last week.

Hubby and I are surely enjoying all our visits with her. I've been taking a few videos, so that's one reason there haven't been many pictures of her recently.