Out with the old Say goodby to 2011

Hello to all my blogging friends, I hope this post finds you all well and happy!

It's New Years Eve already. My that was a strange year for my family, my friends and the world. I found a cool video to share with you about all the historical things that happened this year on planet earth. I hope you enjoy it!
(It is not commercial free but interesting never the less!)
http://www.googlezeitgeist.com/en/video

I don't usually try to make New Years Resolutions because I always lose sight of them in a few days or weeks, especially if it means I have to do some sort of work attached to them (Did I say that out loud? Smile).

But, (lolol) this year I promised myself I would create more often and post more often to my blog. This one I think I can do because of the fun factor involved. I love playing with paper!

I checked the number of hits the page preview counter thingie (thingie-BFF Term) my blog has and it shows that it is currently at 63,318 hits . I don't know if you all see that or not? One of my goals for 2012 (Yes I'm saying this out loud) is to reach 100,000 hits by my birthday at the end of May! So... I'm going to see what I can do to try to reach this goal. Yes, I realize there is going to be work involved, but more fun  than work I'm sure.

All you have to do is to continue to stop by and visit, as you help encourage and inspire me. This is all in fun and it's a win win situation for us both I hope! I think I'll even throw in some type of a BLOG CANDY surprise too!

Honestly, it's because of all of you that My Little Patch of Dirt even exists. You motivate me to do better, to create more fun and exciting things, and help to push my boundaries and stretch my ability.

My hope is that I do the same for you as well. What is paper crafting all about if we can't share ideas and techniques and show off our pretty creations to each other right!

So, I am going to get a jump start. Here are some of the cards I made that went into those gift bags I showed you the other day. I left many of them blank inside (I had a personal request from a family member) and others I dressed up to match the front of the card. There were several variations on a theme as you can see. I used different colored card stock so as to mix them up. When I make mass volume cards I try to make at lease 4-8 of the same card. It helps quicken reproduction time as opposed to individual cards that can take a half hour just to design. I made 120 cards total this season.

Most of the products are Stampin' Up but I did reach into my stash for card stock that was just plain fun!

I hope we all have a great New Year and find lot's of extra time to create more often. It's a long weekend so go create something fun.

Sketch Frenzy Friday!

Hello to all my blogging friends, I hope this post finds you all well and happy!

Yep it's the last Friday of this year, can you believe it!!
Today's sketch was brought to us by our very talented Sharon Wheet and it just pops NEW YEARS!!!!
Here is her sketch!

Here is what I came up with!

Happy New Year everyone, may it be blessed with good health,wealth and much happiness!
All products are SU .

Your next stop is Robbie Rubula's amazing blog.  http://inkedx2.blogspot.com
If you would like to show us a card you have made from this sketch please upload it to our main site
 http://sketchfrenzyfriday.blogspot.com/

I hope you have a chance to create something fun this weekend. I am waiting patiently for the man in brown to come and visit he should be here sometime today to drop off lots of new product. Yippee! New toys are always a pleasure.
I submitted this sketch to the Friday Mashup Design Team too! They wanted something shiny and New Years ish. I think this fit that bill. http://www.fridaymashup.com
Be safe this weekend and park your card in the garage lololol!

Just checking in!

Hello to all my blogging friends, I hope this post finds you all well and happy!

The news about my brother took my breath away and I totally forgot to post for SFF, I'm very sorry and thanks for stopping by. They did not do the surgery as planned, because more tests came back that showed he now has Stage Four Adeno Carcinoma of the Esophagus and Stomach which has spread into his Lymph Nodes and several of his vital organs (Kidney, Liver, Heart). He will begin radical Radiation and Chemo Therapy ASAP. Please continue to pray it is still touch and go!

On Christmas morning at 3:00am a drunk driver hit our parked cars. We just found out the man's insurance has lapsed and if they can not find him by next Tuesday they will close the case. At least we have uninsured motorist insurance.

You know, I sit here and write this stuff and have to put it into perspective, it is minute considering the scheme of things! A fellow VC Rocker lost her two sons in a car crash on Christmas day! I could not imagine what that must be like. My thoughts and prayers go out to her and her family. I hope and pray that they can find some peace in all this turmoil and that someday Christmas will become a blessed time for them once again.

Life sure is strange and often throws us some painful curve balls from time to time. I hope all my blogging friends you  have a Wonderful New Year and that if this year was too much sometimes I pray for better times for us all for next year!

I did do a lot of stamping prior to all the craziness of this Christmas! I thought I would share some of the gift bags I made with you.  Some were made with my Cricut and some with the SU Ornament Templates from last year.

These were a lot of fun and were well received. Each bag (8 of them) were filled with 10 gift cards each. I was a stamping fool that is for sure. I'll share the cards with you in the next few days.

I have another card for SFF's post for tomorrow. I hope you have time to create something fun. Hug your loved ones!

Sorry No SFF post today Prayers Needed!

Hello to all my blogging friends, I hope this post finds you all well and happy!

Merry Christmas to all of you and here is to a wonderful New Year for us all!!!!

We just found out Monday evening that my Brother Vince has Cancer and that he is scheduled for emergency surgery today? With all that is going on around here I totally forgot to post. Please forgive me! If you are the praying type PLEASE put Vince on your prayer list at church or other online media.
Thank you and I will be back Next Week I Hope!
Thanks for stopping by!
Patrice

Paper Players #76

Hello to all my blogging friends. I hope this post finds you all well and happy and as ready for the Holidays as humanly possible lololo!

I  wanted to do another challenge this week so I went over to Ann's Blog "The Stampin Schach"  http://www.stampinchic.com/search?updated-max=2011-12-13T22:18:00-06:00&max-results=6http: and saw that she was hosting the Sketch/Color Challenge over at the Paper Players  http://www.thepaperplayers.blogspot.com/    this week. The challenge is to use three colors, Cherry Cobbler, Gold and Very Vanilla, and it is to be Clean and Simple. (Yikes). You know me with CAS!
Here is the challenge.

This is what I came up with. I hope you like it!

As clean and as simple as I could make it! I also did a little something to the inside.

Have a great weekend and I do hope you find time to create something fun. I have dedicated Sunday to an entire day in my craft room. I am so far behind on things lolol!

Sketch Frenzy Friday 12-16-11

Hello to all my blogging friends, I hope this post finds you all well and happy!

Brother, where did this week go?  It always gets so busy at this time of the year. We hardly have time to sit and enjoy it. Well I am just a few hours away from being done with the house. I have put all the X-Mas boxes away and just have a few more finishing touches to go before I can say I am DONE!

But, in the mean time I have a cool card for you today. It's Sketch Frenzy Friday and my turn to create the sketch for this week. This is what I came up with.

In keeping with this Holiday Season I went really festive. I used My Digital Studio for this sketch. I think it would make a fun Christmas card to send out as it is.

Here is what I created (I almost made an exact copy but thought that would be cheating lololol)

I stamped the poinsettia image in VersaMark and used our amazing SU Cherry Cobbler embossing powder to make them super shiny, then I cut them out. I alternated the flowers high and low with dimensional by using two demsionals on one flower then only one for the next flower. Here is a side view of the card. I think a visual sometimes help .

The Build a Bird punch comes in very handy for leaves. I used the Scallop Circle Die for the background item and punched circles in each of the loops with the 1/8 " hand held punch. I think it gave it a interesting look. For the ribbon treatment I punched a row of the scallop border and cut it a bit thick so I could add a strip of Old Olive 1/8" ribbon to it. I think it made a nice effect. To add some bling I used rhinestones to the center of each of the flowers.

Then to finish off the card I did a little extra to the inside.

That's it for this card. Now your off to visit Robbie Rubula and see what she has in store for us http://inkedx2.blogspot.com/      I know you are going to love what she has created it is too cute as I took a sneak peek! If you would like to try your hand at this sketch please make sure you show it to us and down load your creation to our blog http://sketchfrenzyfriday.blogspot.com/.

I hope you all have a great weekend and find some time during this busy holiday to create something fun!

We Decked My Daughters Halls

Hello to all my blogging friends, I hope this post finds you all well and happy!

I spent the day with my daughter this week. This is her first Christmas in her new apt so, I went over and made her a few things to brighten up her apt. 6 floral arrangements, 1 wreath and we did her stairs with garland and lights. She will get a tree and a few more candles in a week or so and then she will really be ready for Santa.

The wreath was on the front door I forgot to get a shot of it!
Hope you like her little apt. If we did not have the dogs we would live there. Her view is spectacular as her place looks over Lake Elsinore. I think she is less than 100 yards from the shoreline. The front yard, a two lane street and the beach! Not bad for a first apt.

Have a great day and I hope you find some time to create!

Stampin Queens Sketch Challenge #16

Hello to all my blogging friends, I hope this post finds you all well and happy!

The Stampin Queens did it again! They came up with another amazing challenge, so I just had to play along.
This is their sketch.http://gettincrafty.typepad.com/stampin_queens_sketch_cha/

I looked at this sketch and saw a Christmas Tree tag and a rustic looking card base. I don't know where these images come ? I wonder myself sometimes lololol!

Here is my card. Let me know what you think.

I saw a technique over at The Technique Junkies or at The Classroom awhile back about putting a white product onto a dark piece of card stock. I do not remember the product name and didn't have any, but played around with a SU Whisper White Pigment Ink refill with a sponge and a scrap of Early Espresso cs. The scrap kind of reminds me of a type of tree in my neighbors yard, I think it is called a White Burch. I free hand cut a Christmas tree on a piece of Cherry Cobbler card stock (That took me a few tries lolol) then I crumpled the tree up many times to break down the fibers so I could separate it so. I like to use the inside once it has separated as it looks like felt or faux suede. I stamped 3 poinsettias and one little bird from the expired SU Bliss stamp set. I used Daffodil Delight on Natural White card stock for the flowers and soft suede for the bird with a touch of Dusty Durango on the chest, I then cut those out. I colored 3 pearls with real red ink and set those aside to dry it takes a few minutes. I found an old piece of cardboard and pulled it apart so I could use the center of that for texture. Next, I distressed a scrap piece of DSP (Christmas last year). For the trunk of the tree I found a old piece of wood and sponged early espresso ink onto it. I used brown and white Bakers Twine as garland and found some raffia for the bow. The last thing I did was to make a sentiment. For this I used a retired stamp set Berry Christmas from last year. The base of the card is Hunter Green.

Here is a shot of the inside.

I had such a fun day playing around with this sketch. Thanks Ladies over at Sketch Queens for the great sketch Challenge. This card reminds me of a very old fashioned Christmas Card.

I hope you enjoy it and find some time to create today.

Sketch Frenzy Friday 120911

Hello to all my blogging friends, I hope this post finds you all well and happy!

Yep, it is that time again and boy do we have an interesting sketch for you this week! Maria Vanderform came up with it and My Oh My was it a tough one for me! Here is her sketch

see what I mean!
This is what I came up with.

I turned the card and thought about Snow for some reason? I'm a Californian and lol lol I am not quite sure about the  snow falling order if it rains then snows or snows then rains??? So, I went with snow then rain? I think the snow heats up the closer it gets to the earth in less it is really cold then the snow stays on the ground. Heck in this part of CA is desert so what do I know about snow. I call it involuntary wet, because I'm always on my butt in it lololo. All I know is that the little girl is enjoying the snow in her cute pink hat and mittens.
Please let me know what the correct order of snow is lololol!
Here is the inside shot.

I hope you all have a great day end a very fun weekend.
Your next stop on the Blog Hop is to visit Robbie Rubula's blog and do check out her Santa from Wednesdays blog post he is so cute http://inkedx2.blogspot.com/       
If you would like to create a card from our sketch, please download it to our blog  so we can all have a chance to ooh and awh over it. I would love to see what you have come up with SMILE! http://sketchfrenzyfriday.blogspot.com/

I hope you find some time to create something fun too!

Yippee and thanks SQSC 15

Hello to all my blogging friends, I hope this post finds you all well and happy!

Looks like the card I made last week for the SQSC 15  made the grade and was selected as one of the top three. YIPPEE!!!! The post for this card was from Wednesday Nov. 30th just in case you wanted to check it out again.

I checked out all of the other ladies submissions and it sure must have been a hard choice, because all of the other cards were so amazing as well! Congratulations to all the ladies who submitted their cards! I do know it is always hard to submit your work for one personal reason or another, BUT, do it anyhow !!! It is so fun to see what everyone else comes up with on a sketch challenge. Our creative minds just amaze me (Smile)!

Remember to come back tomorrow for our Sketch Frenzy Fridays Sketch Challenge and Mini Blog Hop too!

Here is another rendition of my Mr Snowman card. Only this time he looks like he is going on a date with Mrs. Snowman.

 I had a few scraps of the beautiful Ribbon from the big bow I made for my big Wreath I showed you all last week hanging around, so I decked out Mr Snowman's vest and hat with it. I used Cherry Cobbler card stock for the vest and his hat and the card base is Island Indigo. It is such a pretty shade of blue.
I did a little something to the inside of the card too!

`Well, I hope you like him and find some time to create something fun today.

I'm off to visit Mom today! Looks like she is getting prepped for surgery # THREE! Keep her in your prayers, she can use them!!!

Our Christmas House

Happy Holidays to all my blogging friends. I hope this post finds you all well and happy!

OK, this is for my BFF Carey ! I'll show you what you are missing so maybe you'll come for a visit ! This year we have a new home to decorate and I am feeling much better than last year so I decorated in a big way!Of course Jeff helped quite a bit. Thanks honey!!!

Here we go, walking into the house this is what you see,

To the right of the front door  is next. Bob made the picture look like a post card

Next photo below is the left of the front door . How funny the flash makes the walls look white they are really a soft Coffee Mocha color. All the stockings are hung.

My pretty Christmas Tree below, it is packed with toys and Santa's, Metal Airplanes, Boats, Trucks, Blocks, Kites, Marionettes, Ballet Slippers, Wooden Pull Toys, Porcelain Dolls, Pin Wheels and Shiny Jewel Tone Ornaments, with lot's of colored lights. People are amazed at the collection of Toy Ornaments that really work. I have been collecting them for years. I even made the Tree Skirt and sewed on large jewels and pearls.

 Now we are headed into the dining room

This is the Wreath I made from the neighbors clippings. It is about 4 feet around. It was very heavy so I had to add a branch through the center so it would keep it's shape. Underneath our the Nativity Scene.

The Video Cabinet a large Santa and a table and vase arrangemen

t 

that I made.

and finally the hutch with a seated Santa and a porcelain  Old World Santa Sculpture. 

 I have a few more shots of the Dining room , Kitchen and the Bathroom, but I'll show them to you tomorrow.
Bear was following me around the house all day and finally got tired so I snuck a picture real quick, he is not a photo  ham at all and I was surprised he let me take it lolol. This shot is looking from the dining room into the right side of the living room.

Hope you all had a great weekend and that you found some time to create.

Sketch Frenzy Friday 120211

Hello again to all my blogging friends, I hope this post finds you all well and happy!

Yep, it is that time again for another great Sketch Frenzy Friday Mini Blog Hop and Sketch Challenge.
Today's sketch was designed by Kim Innis, and it is amazing! Here is her sketch!

What do you think? Isn't it fun!CAS!
Here is what I came up with;

This was a really fun sketch,
Here is a picture of the inside. I left it blank as I was thinking of writing a long note to my friend and wanted more room.

I hope you like this card and give our sketch a try! We would love to see what you have created from this sketch. Please download your card to our homepage http://sketchfrenzyfriday.blogspot.com
Now on with our hop, your next stop is Robbie Rubula's blog. I can't wait to see what Robbie has in store for us this week. She always does something fun and creative with her sketches http://inkedx2.blogspot.com/.

I followed the sketch almost to a tee this week how about that! I LOVE the new Cherry Cobbler Embossing Powder and find I am having fun using it whenever and whereever I can, it is just such a yummy color.
Well that's all for today's post. Now it is your turn to create something fun.