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3/25/2016

March 2016 Rudolph Day

Hello - hope that your Good Friday was as pleasant as ours was. We spent some time with my 2 older brothers, had lunch with one of them, and when we got back home in the afternoon, managed to accomplish a few house chores. All in all, a productive & happy day. Also spent some time remembering why we Christians observe the Holiness of this day, and what it leads up to.

Did you notice the fresh Spring look on the blog? The delightful banner? My friend Loll was so kind to do a 'new look' for me, and I'm beyond thrilled! We both hope you'll like it...Loll is amazingly talented at whatever she puts her hand to. (and if you don't visit her blog, you're missing something really special too). Thanks so much Loll, for all your creative skills to make my Spring blog so pretty!!! (also a different watermark, and a cute signature - with - of course, my cardinal!)

Since I missed last month's Rudy Day, I wanted to be certain to get a card finished this month. The last few evenings, I've spent collecting bits & pieces off the desk Crapalanche pile (thanks Hettie for that terminology...it's really so apt!), and trying various bits this way, that way, to see if a card would 'appear'. Over the next few days, I'll try to schedule some posts. At the bottom of _this_ post, I'll share some pictures of the greening up & blooming that is going on around our house. Mr. rehung the porch swing last week too, so it's quite nice on some mornings to sit out & have coffee again.

Rudolph Day Challenge opens on the 25th of each month and is open until the end of the month. The only requirement to jump right in, is to make a Christmas themed card. There's nice prizes available, and lots of wonderful cards submitted. So I hope you'll add another card to your Christmas stash, and come over to play in the Rudy Day Challenge.


- One of the easiest cards I've ever done...and everything is a SNIPPET! The border around the red center, came from a recycled Christmas card. Had loved these berry branches, so of course, it was in the pile "to do something with". (3 months ago, right?). Trimmed to fit a top fold card base.

- red center is the cut out from one of the design papers on this card. Again, in the pile.

- Elizabeth Craft die sentiment, from a snippet of white Xpress Paper (um, yeah, -- in the pile). Got smart & used the metal cutting plate for intricate dies, a couple passes, and this cut very nicely. A few little slubs on the cut edges, probably due to the Xpress paper's composition, but these were easy to smooth off.

- Versamark applied over the die cut, then heat embossed with WOW Gold Pearl Regular. This was my first use of the EP, as Queen's Gold is my favorite gold. Decided to give this a try, after purchasing it in Whimsodoodle, St. Pete, Florida at Christmas. Liked the look of molten gold, but it did not adhere well in a couple places (Operator Error...non-even Versamark coverage). Reapplied Versamark (yuck, got the EP grains in the pad, so it needs to be cleaned!) - sprinkled on some more EP, and I was so pleased with the look of 2 coats. It really has the look of a piece of metal applied to the front of the card. So now I have another gold EP that I'm liking.

Now, I'm off to link up with March Rudolph Days, and since I've been so MIA over at the Snippets Playground, and it's still open, I think I will just hop along over there where it's Week 221, and see if Mr. Parsnip will let me in the gate. It's been so long, he may not recognize me! I expect there's lots of Easter themed cards, but I'm gonna try to sneak in with a Christmas card! Won't ya'll join me?

Do check out the Cards by Friends tab to enjoy some lovely Easter cards we've received from some lovely bloggers. Head hanging in shame: I've not finished the first Easter card. :-(

Thanks for popping in...and my prayers for a lovely Easter weekend. Hugs. Hope you enjoy the spring bustin' out all over around our neighborhood.


Redbud tree in our backyard

White blossom tree in neighbor's yard (behind us)


Flowering Cherry Tree in side yard


Iris in a tub, back deck. This plant came from a very old species that grew wild at my Aunt's house. We're guessing the 'main root bulbs are nearly a 100 yrs old.


Tulips from bulbs planted by Me, about 12 falls ago. Surprised they still come up!

Close up - very pretty colors


Few daffodils from bulbs planted about 8 yrs ago. Not very many of these come up any more.


Greening trees in our neighbor's yard. We enjoy seeing these trees from our front porch swing

49 comments:

  1. Super elegant card Mary but where is the piccy of the swing then! hugs Mrs A.

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  2. Love the new look of your blog! Didn't know Loll could also do THAT! Beautiful blogheader and signature!
    Your snippets card is fabulous!

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  3. Absolutely gorgeous card, Mary!! I love the gold Merry Christmas!! The blooming photos are beautiful, too!! And I love your new blog look!! Have a great evening!! Big hugs :)

    Lisa
    A Mermaid's Crafts

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  4. Love your new look Mary :-) Your card is fabulous - in fact, absolutely stunning in it elegant design. Love your tulips!
    Blessings
    Maxine

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  5. Awesome card and photos. You are way ahead of me in season and Christmas cards!! Seriously though, love the berries behind the bold sentiment.Gorgeous Christmas card - Happy Easter Mary!

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  6. First of all.......I LOVE your new header! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! Also LOVE that new watermark!!!! I'm so jealous! They're fabulous plus!
    Great photos and yes, it's that time of year that everything starts getting green and looking pretty. Your flowers are beautiful.
    Now, on to your card! I'm in awe! Love that die and the CAS design is sensational. WOW!
    Lynn

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  7. WOW love the sheer elegance and simplicity of this crd design
    Cheers
    Dr Sonia

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  8. Your new header looks fabulous. Lol is very talented...She lives quite near me...maye 30 minutes away! So cool to know of another blogger so close.

    Your card looks great. I like the idea of trying to smoosh the versamark on and then the embossing powder. Have not tried that yet but must give it a try.
    How will you clean the little bits off. I am asking cuz I have a versamark that has bits of goodness knows what on it and I am stumped for how to clean it!

    Thanks for taking part in the March Rudolph days Challenge.

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  9. Your header is just beautiful- pink is my favorite color! Your friend is so talented. I love the Crapalanche description- learned a new word today : ) Love your delightful CAS Christmas card. Hope you have a blessed Easter, I had to work today and tomorrow, so missed church services, but will not miss Sunday!

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  10. So many fabulous ideas here, and lovely pics too, your header looks lovely. We had sunny day yesterday, daffodils and first bluebell sighting. Love your card, great use of snippets, hopped over to see the one with frames, such a fab idea, can I borrow please?! I have so many papers, and nice way to use inny and outy ;) . Also love your tab for friends card, another fab idea! Tfs xxx

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  11. Your card is so nice and rich in the gold. Love your pictures also....way ahead of us here which is still March Bleccchhh. Happy Easter!

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  12. Beautiful card Mary. Always great when you can up-cycle. And always good to use some of your UFO pieces ... or Crapalanche as you say :) Too funny! :) I need to find a new gold embossing powder, so thanks for the tips about your two favourites. xx

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  13. Oops ... meant to say ... thanks for sharing all the beautiful pictures of spring emerging in your neighbourhood! :) xx

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  14. Hi Mary
    love your CAS Chrissy card. I am so lagging with mine this year.
    Lovely to see Spring bursting out but I am quite glad to have the weather a little cooler as Autumn sets in.
    DH is quite well now I had lunch with him today and then we sat in on the quiz this afternoon and DH won with me giving him all the answers.
    Hugs
    Margaret M

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  15. I did notice the new look blog Mary, a lovely Spring feel to it with the pretty blossoms and is it a Cardinal, not a bird we have here in the UK.

    A lovely clean crisp design to your Rudolph Day card.

    Enjoy the rest of the Easter weekend.

    B x

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  16. Lovely card, Mary! That is one of my favorite ECD dies and you really showed off the beauty of it on your card! Great idea making it gold- I bet it looks gorgeous in person!

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  17. Awww.... I just adore your new blog's look! :D Loll has been fabulous and very kind!The cardinal looks great with the pink flowers!
    My piles of pieces with which "making something" are always biggest... :( I need too much time to craft... You have made a wonderful recycling, and love very much your "2 coats of embossing" sentiment, it looks really so well! Love the border, too, very festive and sweet!
    Wonderful photos, spring has come again in your zone!
    I wish you a very happy and paceful Easter! Hugs

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  18. Hi Mary, Loving the new look blog.

    Fab card.

    Your garden areas look lovely, especially that tree in blossom.

    Happy Easter. Sue

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  19. Loving the new look Mary...and the lovely Cardinal....Spring was here yesterday but we are just about to be hit with storm Kate for Easter!....
    Lovely card for
    Rudolph...and up cycling too what a clever girl!
    Have a blessed Easter xxxxxx

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  20. Loving the new look Mary...and the lovely Cardinal....Spring was here yesterday but we are just about to be hit with storm Kate for Easter!....
    Lovely card for
    Rudolph...and up cycling too what a clever girl!
    Have a blessed Easter xxxxxx

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  21. Love your banner and all your spring photos - and "crapalanche", what a perfect word to describe my own desk. Your card is gorgeous too. Thanks for playing along at Rudolph Days this month.
    Jane
    Rudolph Days DT

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  22. I love your gorgeous Christmas card. Beautiful signs of spring in your photos as well.

    Sue xx

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  23. A lovely card and great use of snippets. I like the new look of your blog, perfect for the spring!
    Kath x

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  24. I was looking for the swing too! Great photos Mary!

    Love your Christmas card and it really is so lovely to see you in the Playground - I hope you managed to wipe Parsnip's choklit coloured kisses off you!

    Beautiful header too!

    Hugs

    Di xx

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  25. Very elegant card Mary and very pretty spring photos. Your new banner is amazing too. I think you must have been having better weather than us, our blossom is not nearly as advanced as yours and we are still on the primroses and daffodils, no tulips yet. x

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  26. Love the new look of your blog Mary, Loll has done a great job! She is such a talented lady! You are talented too Mary and this card is fabulous and so elegant with all those snippets and I adore the large sentiment using that pretty gold ep, and the term 'crapalanche' could equally apply to the pile of bits on my table waiting to be used or eventually heading for the bin, well the smaller bits of excess paper and card, not the dies etc ...lol. I love the photos of emerging Spring foliage and flowers. I think it is my favourite time of year as everything is so fresh and green. Glad you are enjoying your Easter weekend. x

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  27. I've been seeing a lot of upcycled Christmas cards around blog-land lately and this one is fabulous and a great CAS design! I used to do this a lot, but haven't done it in a long while because I have felt guilty about my NBUS mountain, but isn't it great knowing that, it hasn't cost much, and, you are . . . helping to save the planet! Win/win! The new look blog is amazing, so clean, so quick. I have been admiring all these new look blogs and thinking that I should update mine too! Fabulous Spring flowers too Mary!! have a truly wonderful Easter weekend my friend!! Hazel xx
    My Card Attic

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  28. WOW wonderful spring makeover here Your yard is refreshing and your card although another season is lovely HAPPY EASTER Lis

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  29. Merry Christmas to you Miss Mary - delightfully simple!\
    I enjoyed the pictures of your neighborhood!
    sandy xx Have a good Easter!

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  30. Your card is so CAs and jet so impressive; great design!
    Love the photo's; your tulips are further in bloom as they are here... Enjoy the Easterweekend!

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  31. Don't you just love an easy card! I used to hate CAS cards because I didn't think I was good at them until a CAS team asked me to join and now that seems to be the way I tend to gravitate anymore. Beautifully done Christmas card. Love your spring pics. The trees are beautiful. We are headed to North Carolina this week to visit with family. Happy Easter and spring blessings!

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  32. I knew I was supposed to be joining your blog, but I nearly went back to where I came from, as I didn't recognise you. WOW what a makeover, no wonder you are thrilled with it. Looks really lovely. Love your signature and your header.

    Love your card too. The red being so right for the season.

    Sorry I have missed a few posts, hope it won't continue to happen that way.

    Enjoy your Easter weekend and I hope it's warm enough to use that rehung swing.
    Faith
    x

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  33. Hello Mary, what a lovely header, yes I did notice it, and I thought to myself, is that cherry blossom, why is the little Cardinal bird there. Are they around the year birds Mary? Whatever, I love it.
    Your card is lovely, I do love those berry branches in the background. A love simple design, but so effective, I hope you are having a lovely Easter weekend, Kate x

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  34. LOVE the new header, the card and your gorgeous pictures. We had a glimpse of spring earlier in the week but now it's raining...again!! xx

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  35. Aaaah what a stunning Xmas card and thanks for joining us at Rudolph Days Challenge this month, Luv Sam (GDT) x

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  36. It's a terrific snippets Rudolph Day card Mary.
    LOVE your new look blog too.
    Happy Easter to you.

    Hugs, Sarn xxx

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  37. Love, love, love your new look, Mary! Loll is a whiz! I LOVE that embossing! I thought it was a metallic die cut! Amazing and so pretty! Hope your swing isn't covered in pollen like all our outdoor seating. Everything looks so pretty! I love Spring! Easter hugs!

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  38. Yes, I did notice your new look blog and I think it looks fabulous, very easy on the eyes, which I love and the cardinal is so pretty too.

    Your card may be simple but it really makes a statement and I love it!!

    Hope you are having a wonderful Easter weekend my friend. Hugs, Anne xx

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  39. Fantastic Christmas card and gorgeous embossing.
    Super photos and a great looking new blog.

    Kath xx

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  40. Amazing springtime photos, Mary, and stunning new look to your blog that Lolly created!! And your Rudy card isn't half bad either!! Happy and Blessed Easter to you and Joe! Hugs, Darnell

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  41. Lovely card Mary, love it all! red and white so cheery.
    ... and well done on your new look, love the signature too, and WM... great work all around in garden too,
    Shaz in Oz.x

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  42. I really like the background, what a great use of an old Christmas card and making something mass produced into a personal, handmade one. Looking great!

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  43. Your Christmas card is so pretty. I love the background and that gold really does pop. Your yard is so happy and colorful. Beautiful trees and flowers that it makes sitting on the porch a real treat. Loll did a fantastic job for you. She has so much talent. I just completed, a few minutes ago, a technique she had a video for on her blog. When it dries I will create a card and post it soon. I've been away from blogging for a while and need to get back. Enjoy the flowers.

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  44. Loved all the photos of things greening up and blooming. They are nice to admire from the safety of my plastic bubble (otherwise: AH-CHOO!) Great easy peasy Christmas card too.

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  45. Lovely card! it is fun to see all the great spring flowers!

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  46. Spring has sprung all over your blog with your fab new banner and all the lovely photos. Great card and I think 3 months is quite fast!,,

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  47. OMGoodness, I'm in love with your new look Momma Mary! Looks like spring has blossomed all over the place! So fresh and elegant is your new look, yep, I'm loving it. Love the card too, what a great way to use up those snippets and store cards that we all receive but are to nice to throw away after Christmas. I love how you combined a couple of them to get this beautiful card. Well done! I also am loving those beautiful blooms! Looking like spring down your way. We are in full bloom here too if you can believe that one! My grass needs mowing and will have to be baled up if I don't get it mowed soon. But I need those warmer temps back to mow. lol Hugs, Brenda

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  48. Love the wonderful CAS look of you beautiful Christmas card, Mary!!!!! Really beautiful!!!! TFS your lovely spring photo's - so happy for you that spring is in the air and that you can have coffee outside!!!! Enjoy!!!
    Hugz

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  49. Gorgeous Christmas card...love that gold. Your garden photos are just beautiful, love those fabulous tulips!

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