Wow - yesterday was quite the day of Stampin' Up! news!  I was so excited about Stampin' Up!'s new color refresh, retiring products lists and the sneak peek at the 2023 - 2024 Annual Catalog, I got behind on posting my blog after my Facebook Live.  I spent most of today marking up my 2022 - 2023 Annual and 2023 January - April Mini Catalogs for all the retiring products.  I then spent time this evening, looking at every gorgeous page of the new catalog and prepped my wish list so I can get my order in for my new 2023 - 2024 Annual Catalog on Tuesday, 4/4!  

Yesterday's Facebook Live was sort of a mystery.  I wasn't feeling great as I have been battling a cold most of the week.  I used the blank cards that I shared in the previous week's Facebook Live to showcase the Elegant Border Dies.  I pulled together some products around 10am yesterday and decided I could pull through.  

 Welcome to the Crafty Collaborations March 2023 Crafty Challenge Blog Hop!  I hope you enjoy hopping along today with this talented group for Stampin' Up! Demonstrators as they meet the challenge!  To hop along, click on the next talented blogger in the list at the end of my blog!  

I found a card sketch designed by Mary Fish (#59) a few weeks ago when I was designing a card for my recent Queen Bee card class.  I love this layered card design - it's easy and oh so colorful!  Today's Crafty Challenge is to use 5 luscious Stampin' Up! colors:  Pacific Point, Tahitian Tide, Mango Melody, Daffodil Delight and Garden Green!  This is an amazing color combination to herald in Spring!  I love the springtime images from the Queen Bee Cling Bundle.  

 Welcome to the Crafty Collaborations Share it Sunday Blog Hop!  I hope you enjoy hopping along today with this talented group for Stampin' Up! Demonstrators as they share what they have been working on this week!  To hop along, click on the next talented blogger in the list at the end of my blog!  

I have been waiting to create cards from the Best Day Cling Stamp Set.  The two images included in this stamp set are so much fun to color in your favorite color combinations.  The cat in the cupcake liner is so cute with his little hat and little bow tie.  

 Happy Wednesday!  Wow - as I begin today's blog post, I was surprised to see that this is my 100th post!  My does time fly!  I hope that my (trying to be consistent weekly), lol, is inspiring you to create something special to give to someone you love!  Thank you for reading my blog posts and having me in your space to share what I love.  

I have many hobbies and so far, this one has been the most amazing!  I have met so many wonderful crafters, I have an opportunity to learn and share what I learn, and it all happens so easily!  Quilts take weeks, sometimes years for me to finish.  I love the beauty of the various patterns, playing with many colors of fabrics to create just the right combination and yes, the warm snuggle that a quilt offers.  Knitwear takes me weeks, sometimes months to finish, especially that dreaded job of blocking.  I love the feel of the yarn in my fingers, again the various yarn colors and textures, and the hug around my shoulders with the perfect shawl!  Scrapbooks take me days, weeks and yes, years to complete.  I love the memories I can relive, again the many colors of cardstock, patterned paper, embellishments, and the special moment when I see someone I love sitting in a corner paging through and reliving their memories as well.  Cards though, take me hours, maybe days when it's been a hectic week, oh and all the colors of inks, markers, paper, (color seems to be a common theme with crafters), but most of all the smile on someone's face when they get their mail!  What is your favorite craft and why?  

Yesterday was the 1st day of Spring!  Yippee - it's coming my friends.  For this week's Facebook Live, I showcased the adorable Easter Bunny Photopolymer Stamp set to make a cheery, springtime Easter greeting.  The 3 bunnies in this stamp set are brought to life with your favorite medium - Stampin' Blends (alcohol markers), Watercolor Pencils, Water Painters, Stampin' Write Markers or just live them white for the perfect white rabbit!  And how easy, just a little pink nose and pink in the ear and they are brought to life.  

 Happy Wednesday and Happy Birthday to Me!  I've always have enjoyed birthdays.  When I was working, I would take the day off and have a fun day shopping with friends.  Now it feels just like another day - nothing exciting.  Give me a day in my stamping studio without interruption would be perfect!  Hubby is taking me out for dinner tonight at our favorite local Italian Restaurant nearby.  It will be a quiet celebration with my mom and oldest son, Sean.  I'll definitely enjoy that!  Today, I received a wonderful planter full of tulip bulbs from my BFF Yvonne!  I can't wait to see them blossom!  

Spring is definitely working up it's energy to make it's debut next week!  Lately, I have been drawn to the spring colors:  yellows, pinks, peaches and blues.  Today is a Pink kind of day!  

 Happy Wednesday!  Thank you for the kind get well wishes!  I am healing well from my thumb surgery last Wednesday.  Yesterday, I accidently got my dressing a bit damp and had to go to the doctor's office today to ensure I hadn't created an environment ripe with infection.  Yippee - they took the dressing off a day early as everything looked just as it should!  I am now able to type more easily and hopefully can get a bit more crafting done.  It's a bit tender but getting stronger!  The test results came back from biopsy of the, as described post surgery, a lump of popcorn yesterday as well.  Results are good!  It was yucky tumor - but not cancerous thank goodness!  Onto next week's suture removal and then a bit of PT to strengthen the movement in my thumb!  

Next week is a big week!  My bday is on Wednesday, and then St. Patrick's Day is on Friday!.  Today's Facebook Live card is in honor of St. Patty's Day!  When I was younger (lol), lot's of celebrating was had to be done throughout these days - even a party bus with green beer - that was a night my hubby (then new boyfriend) had to take care of me.   Now it's a lot more laid back - a quiet dinner for my bday - and wearing of the green on St. Patrick's Day!  There is something about a cute leprechaun and his gold - right?