A Favorite Color Combination for Mo Manning

Hello!

It's time to get started on m Christmas cards - so I am trying different things to see what I like best. Those of you who follow my blog know that I make a weekly card for my friend Verda in exchange for her never-fail gift of candy and a big hug that she brings to my door every Monday morning - so I am making her holiday theme cards each week this month. Today's card is one I made for her this week and also my entry into the current challenge on Mo Manning's blog where the theme is "Favorite Color Combo" and this is one of mine.

I think that next time I make this card I would add some ribbon - which I always forget I have, even now with my stash right on my workdesk - or some flowers or buttons or another layer of cardstock or at least a greeting. But that's for next time. The image I have used is one of Mo's digital images called "NP Employee Number 5533". To see all of the wonderful inspiration of optional color combinations and card layouts, go to  http://mosdigitalchallenge.blogspot.com/ 

Thanks for stopping by to visit my blog today! Wishing you a great weekend!

Barbara Diane

Door Poster for Holiday Season

Hello!

I created another of my characters with expressive hands for my door poster this holiday season. I love him - it is my favorite one! I had such fun drawing and making the pattern of this silly moose. It seems he got a little excited while checking out the lights for the tree! But who can blame him, Christmas is coming! He should have plenty of time to fix this before the tree is trimmed - we won't tell. 

Opps!

Shhhhhhhh!

And here he is on my apartment door.

Thank you for stopping by today to visit my blog! I am far behind on making my Christmas cards - so far I have only made one - I just can't decide what design to use when I look at all the options! Too many choices and it doesn't help when I see what you are all creating on my visits to your blogs! Wishing you a happy day!

P.S. My guy Tony WON on Dancing With The Stars! He has been on the show - patient and kind to all of his partners - for 14 YEARS and this was his year! Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Tony - you deserve it! This was your year! :<)

Barbara Diane 

Note Pad Holders

Hello!

Today I have a wonderful project to share with you but sadly, some terrible photos! I apologize at how dark they are but could not get better results from my camera this morning no matter what I tried! So hopefully you will enjoy the project itself and then go to the site where you can see them in much better photos and either order the kits or the plastic holders and supplies to make your own! :<)

The site is my friend Patty's Stampin' Up blog at  http://www.pattystamps.typepad.com/ and if you go to her October 17th post you can see all of her beautiful photos of the holders included in the kit. Tell her Barbara Diane sent you! I loved making these and now want to make some with covers of a stamped design I think. I have written Patty to see if she is going to offer this again in a new set of designs and am hoping the answer is yes - she used her Digital Studio to create the covers and her designs are beautiful. The kit includes the covers, card stock, calendars, tablets and the plastic holders for all 4 designs. Love it!

This one is my favorite and I am keeping it for myself I think.

Thank you for stopping by today to visit my blog! I am behind as usual with my return visits! Too many issues here but I keep working at it! I hope you have a nice day! Tonight I am keeping my fingers crossed for my guy Tony to win on Dancing With The Stars! He is such a great person and this HAS to be his year! I love some of the others too, but Tony so deserves it! :<)

Barbara Diane

A Gingerbread House

Hello!

This past weekend I assembled and decorated this gingerbread house for Jim to take home with him to the AFH where he lives to share with his roommates. I purchased a kit from a local bakery but was very disappointed, as the pieces had baked with rounded bottoms, etc. and it was difficult when assembling the house to get it level. Also, the candy included in the kit was not adequate, although I did use the ice cream cone for the tree. (You can see in the above photo I had started to decorate the house with just frosting as I had only the candy included.)

So Jim and I went to Walgreens and picked out candy and cookies we thought would be colorful and fun. We had to have 3 Santas as there are 3 men living at his home. White, green and red frosting in bags were included in the kit but they were not enough to really decorate other than the minimum so I had to think ahead. If I do this again, I think I will bake my own pieces and make my own frosting. I have made many gingerbread houses from the polymer clay so I guess I could do this! :<) It was fun but it ended up costing me a small fortune. Jim was very happy with it and that was my goal!

I have posted this on my friend Sassy Cheryl's blog on her "Show Me" where you can post a photo of what you are creating. Go to http://sassycheryls.blogspot.com/ and enter - you may be this week's winner!

Here is the front of the house:

One side:

The back of the house:

The other side:

The roof detail:

One of my polymer houses.

Thank you for visiting my blog today! Wishing you a great Monday!

Barbara Diane

Anything Goes at Meljen's

Hello!

The current challenge at Meljen's is "Anything Goes" and this is my entry - a cute little guy to celebrate a child's birthday. This image is called 'Little Sign Mouse' and I have added stars cut from a 'Festive Firecrackers' image. Go to http://meljensdesignsdt.blogspot.com/ to be inspired by the beautiful cards created by the designer team and to enter your own!

Thank you for stopping by today to visit my blog! We have much colder weather here today in this part of WI - it was a wonderful 62 degrees yesterday when we celebrated Thanksgiving, but today it is only 30 degrees and we have some light snow flurries this morning. Winter will soon start in earnest - no doubt about it - and I am so NOT ready to deal with it! Wishing you a great weekend!

Barbara Diane

It's WOYW Wednesday

Hello!

Wednesday is here again - and the last of my Thanksgiving cards are finished and in the mail! Nothing like Christmas, but still takes some time! I have to finish up those greetings I make for my friends here in the apartment building but then I am done for this year! Today being "What's On Your Workdesk?" day, go to Julia'a blog 'Stamping Gtound' http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/ to visit as many wonderful and fun workdesks around blog land as you can!

I have made some changes to my workdesk and storage spaces. I wanted to have my markers lower and to my right for easier access and so I could see the colors better without the glare from the window and I always forget my ribbons, so I moved them to sit on my workdesk. I also wanted to move my embossing folders and clear stamp pads drawers to my work area so . . . . a little of this and a little of that and I reversed lots of things and added others and now I love it! You can click on the photos for more detail.

Thank you for stopping by today to visit my blog! We are having such nice weather here in this part of WI - temperatures in the 50's and supposed to be 60 on Thanksgiving Day! Love it! Wishing you a nice day!

Barbara Diane

"Let's Chill" with Mo Manning Challenge

Hello!

Another snowman creation to share - with added hands for more expression and story. His hands hold a snowglobe with a wonderful image of a sparkly Christmas tree inside. The tree of course is a Mo Manning image called 'Tree Decorated' - my entry for the current challenge with a theme of "Let's Chill" and my guy is feeling only love and happiness as he gazes at the beauty. If you click on the photo you can better see the glitter around the globe and the tree.. http://mosdigitalchallenge.blogspot.com/ is the place to go to see all of the great entries and designer team creations!

Thank you for stopping by today to visit my blog! It's an exciting week ahead, with Thanksgiving only days away! Wishing you a happy Monday to start it off right!

Barbara Diane

A Desperate Suggestion

Hello!

I created this character to hang on my apartment door - and it is bringing many smiles and comments. It may take a minute for someone to figure out the "Order Pizza" sign . . . . .? but then hearty laughter follows. :<) I love this interaction with others brought about by what's on my door! 

Thank you for stopping by to visit my blog today! Thank you to all who sent instruction on how to create a direct link - hopefully I can now do this! It is so close to Thanksgiving already - it's only a week away! Wishing you a happy day!

Barbara Diane

WOYW? Wednesday Is Here Already!

Hello!

I can't believe it is Wednesday again already - I almost missed it! I have been keeping paper strips for months now, not sure what to do with them but didn't want to throw them away. I finally found a couple of gift ideas that I can use them for. Covering the little chocolate cubes is a perfect use and they will fit in this cute little gift box once it is decorated. I also have been looking for cards that use paper strips in the layout and will have some to share soon. To see what What's On Your Workdesk? Wednesday is all about - go to the Stamping Ground blog a http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com to share what's on your workdesk and visit other's to see where they work and all of the many creations being made! 

Thank you for visiting my blog today! Can anyone tell me how to create a link to ONE blog post - I can't seen to figure this out! When I link, it is to my blog and sometimes a direct link is needed and I can't provide that so I am out of luck. I would appreciate any help! Wishing you a great day!

Barbara Diane

Now Where Was I?

Hello!

Another of my characters that I have been creating with a hand/hands added for more personality and a bit of story telling. This guy was my first snowman and he's a little confused - in all of the chaos of getting ready for the holidays he has forgotten for the moment just what he was doing. 

The back is finished as a solid white so a message can be written on it making this a special holiday card. This guy is approximately 6" x 6" so a nice size to hang on a door, etc.

Thank you for stopping by today to visit my blog! I have been visiting many of you and love seeing what you are all creating! More visits this week! It is very cold here in this part of WI - windy so it seems even colder. Some snow flurries yesterday. Wishing you a nice day today!

Barbara Diane

Two Entries for Meljen's Challenge

Hello!

This week on the Meljen's Challenge blog they have an Inspiration Photo - a beautiful cake decorated in Fall colors - to inspire your creation. I had made two cards and I decided to post both of them even though only one can be entered into the challenge. Go to http://meljensdesignsdt.blogspot.com/ to see what great creations this photo has inspired and add your own! 

Thank you for stopping by to visit my blog today! I will have another of my characters tomorrow - I wanted to post my challenge cards before it was too late. Wishing you a happy Monday!

Barbara Diane