A New {Caardvarks} Challenge!

Hurry on over and check out the new challenge that starts today at {Caardvarks}! This time it's all about using PAINT on the front of your cards! You have until midnight October 12th to get your entry in, so don't waste any time gettin' started! The grand prize is fab....the winner will receive an Everyday Card Making Kit from 2 Spotted Dogs! The kit is STUFFED full of fun goodies to make tons of cards with--I wish I could win!!

Here's one of the cards I sat down and created the other day for the new paint challenge! I have to be honest.....I was like "paint"????? Eewwwww...I'm not a big paint user on my cards, but you know what? That's what's so great about {Caardvarks}. They pick challenges that REALLY push you out of your comfort zone so you don't get stuck in a rut of the same old, same old.

For this card, I dug out my favorite H2O paints, which I love, love, love! The colors I have are so bright and cheerful, not to mention SPAHHHHKLY! In no time flat, I decided to paint a plaid pattern on some watercolor paper. Nothing too fancy, but I love how it turned out!!! This is one of my favorite cards I've made in a while! I matted the plaid painted paper onto a piece of Cool Caribbean cardstock, and then mounted the whole thing on my dual sided black/white cardstock. I found a strip of black and white polka dot paper laying in my scrap drawer, so grabbed it and added it to the front of the card. Then, I dragged out my favorite Hero Arts flower stamp and stamped it on watercolor paper as well, and painted it with the same H2O paints as I used to paint the plaid. A big black brad plopped right in the center of the flower really pops the colors, doesn't it! It's adhered to the strip of polka dot paper using a glue dot. The sentiment, from Hero Arts, is stamped directly onto the watercolor paper using Versafine Ink in Black Onyx. And that's it. So simple!

So, don't let the new {Caardvarks} challenge scare you. Grab some paints and get busy. Check out the Got Paint? Gallery to get some ideas to get you started, ok? So much fun!!!

I'll leave you with a few of the fun football shots I took yesterday at Youngest Son's football game. They are undefeated! Woo-hoo! This is my favorite shot from the game. It's one of my son's teammates who JUST missed making this completed pass. Bummer he missed, but great for ME! Remember, I'm always on the lookout for the perfect action shot--I think this one definitely qualifies!

My son, who plays cornerback, usually doesn't see much action in a game (thank heavens since he only weighs about 92 pounds). But yesterday, he made an interception!!! I was lucky enough to have been right there and had my camera ready to take the two shots! Yipee!

Isn't he a handsome son of a gun?

One last quick note....we got the letter from hubby's former employer yesterday telling us how much our COBRA benefits will cost us should we decided to take them. I nearly had a heart attack. The cost was slightly (!) more than I anticipated it'd be. I was figuring $800/month. Get this, they're charging us $1200/month!!!! Get real! We have no choice but to carry them, so that means I will probably be looking for a "real" job shortly, if hubby doesn't get a job anytime soon. Please pray God provides Doug with a job soon!