Best Friends Forever - Inspirations of the Heart Blog Hop

Hello Lovelies,
Welcome to the "Best Friends Forever - Inspirations of the Heart" Blog Hop! I am so super excited and jazzed today...it's an AMAZING day! Hopefully you have arrived here from Jovan's blog. If not, that's okay, just click on her name and get back on track. If you want to start at the beginning, then click on this link Felicia.

This blog hop is to celebrate your "BFF" and for me, that would be TOSHA. There is absolutely no one quite like her, she is the best friend a girl could ever have. We have been friends since high school and remain just as close today as we were then, I love her for all the honest, kind, loving and selfless contributions she has made in my life.

I created this project with her in mind and just for her. When I first started crafting, I would and still do send her my creations to critique, she is very honest and I know she wouldn't steer me in the wrong direction. She is always supportive of my many endeavors and that is why she is my "BFF".

Now, for the Blog Candy. Yes, you read it correctly...we must celebrate my "BFF" with some treats. I was going to wait until we reached 200 Special Friends, but as you all know, I'm not the most patient of individuals, so here we go.

The rules are very simple:
1. Become a Special Friend, if you are not already.
2. Leave A Comment
3. Only if you want an extra entry, post about this on your blog and leave a comment that lets me know you did so. ( Not Required)
I will select the recipient via Random.org and announce it on Monday, July 18, 2011.  Best of luck to you all.

Here is the Blog Hop Line-Up:

Felicia at http://scrapperinthemaking.blogspot.com
Madison at http://funkycards.blogspot.com
Gloria at http://girliascards.blogspot.com
Adrian at http://byadrian4u.blogspot.com
Emma at http://www.creativetimeforme.com
Momo at http://madebymomo.blogspot.com
Paula at http://morethanfavors.blogspot.com
Jovan at http://www.cardsbyjovan.com
Shen at http://mycuriouscrafts.blogspot.com  (This is me!)
Ruthie at http://septemberninth.blogspot.com
Nicole at http://nadialax13.blogspot.com
Agnes at http://flowerdiscosscraphut.blogspot.com

You are headed to the super talented Ruthie!
Thanks so much for hopping along with us today. I truly hope you had a lot of fun and gained some inspiration.
Hugs,
~Shen

You're Such A Pineapple!

Hello Lovelies,
I have another card to share with you today. I used the Preserves cart for the cuts (difficult layering at 2.5 inches) and once again, the KI Memories' Classic Prints paper stack. I hope you like and have an awesome beginning of your weekend. Thanks for the visit.
Hugs,
~Shen

Linking this one up to the Scrappy Moms Challenge!

Totally Fabulous Monkey

Hello Lovelies,
I have a card to share with you today. I used the Paisley cart for the cuts and KI Memories' Classic Print paper stack. I hope you ladies enjoy and have an amazing day.
Hugs,
~Shen

Goodies

Hello Lovelies,
I want to share with you the "goodies" that I received from Mollie over at Cricket's Cricut.  Thanks Mollie! I haven't made it to my craft room yet today, so...no cards to share just yet but I'll be back (in my Arnold voice). Sorry about the picture quality but the pool table had to be my backdrop (still have family at my house) for a super quick post. Thanks for the visit.
Hugs,
~Shen

Your Non-Human Best Friend

Hello Lovelies,
I have yet another card to share with you today. I used my favorite cart, CAC for all the cuts and the designer paper is from The Specialty Collection's Summer Fun stack. This one was quite difficult to photgraph as the paper has a metallic finish. Thanks for stopping by to visit me.
Hugs,
~Shen

Linking this one up to the Use It Tuesday Challenge! (used scraps for my CAC cut and bling is from my stash as well.)

Linking this one up to the My Sheri Crafts Challenge!

Texas Cowgirl - Is There Such A Thing?

Hello Lovelies,
I have another card to share with you today. I used the Once Upon A Princess cart for all cuts. The designer paper is KI Memories - Classic Prints. Now, I made this card, just because and will be linking it up to the Getting Cricky challenge and the bling was added so that I could link it up to the challenge over at Scrapaholic By Abby.  Thanks again for the visit.
Hugs,
~Shen

Teeny Bikini

Hello Lovelies,
I have a card to share with you today. I made this card with a specific challenge in mind, however, I have since then forgotten.  When I remember, I'll will post the link up above the photo below. I have relatives in town new job hunting and site seeing, that has made it quite a task to get into my craft room and craft like I desire. I'm not going to complain, I love my family very much. I hope you ladies like my card. Thanks for stopping by and have an awesome rest of your day.
Hugs,
~Shen

Linking this one up to the Die Cuttin Diva's Challenge!

AWESOME NEWS

Hello Lovelies,
I have some really cool and totally awesome news to share with you today. This is so super FABULOUS because it means that I am evolving in this craft and that is exactly what I want to do, get better with each project that I create. Thanks so very much for all of your feedback, this is why "comments" are so important to everyone, they tell us what is working well already and what could use a little more TLC.  Now, let me tell you that I only recently found the Scrapalicious USA blog and I love it. The DT is very talented and really nice, which is so inspiring. Oh my, I am rambling again but I had to share this with you because I am extremely excited.  Thanks for the visit, honestly, I really appreciate you taking the time to stop by.
Hugs,
~Shen

Christmas In July

Hello Lovelies,
I have another card to share with you today. I made this card for the challenge over at CTO. The requirements are to make a shaped card with a Christmas theme. I love the season and definitely the reason behind it being the celebration of the birth of CHRIST. I just think I am about Christmas card creating out of mojo as of late.  However, I was able to pull one more out of my little bag of creativity and here it is - voila! I hope you like and again, thanks for visiting me.
Hugs,
~Shen

Super Cool Trophy

Hello Lovelies,
I have something super cool to share with you all.  I love to participate in all of the awesome challenges, some are more difficult than others and M.A.G. is a more difficult one for me, only because it requires me to think outside my box - lol (you can only use a particular cart and only cuts from a specific page). I am so addicted to playing with them and super bombed when I can't play because of a cartridge issue that I order the missing cartridge immediately so it doesn't happen to me again.  I need a list of future challenges so I can prepare ahead of time...I can be such a brat at times. Anyhoo, look at this trophy, isn't it cute. I love cute and cuddly things. Enough of my rambling! Thanks for the visit and I am off to create another card.
Hugs,
~Shen

Because You Have Always Been So Sweet To Me

Hello Lovelies,
I have another card to share with you today. I made this card with the challenge over at Cricut Cardz in mind. The challenge element is to make a card for a "Grand Parent" and my "Big Momma" has always been so sweet to me that I thought only a cupcake would do her justice and she loves red, hence all the red accents. Her birthday is August 15th, the day before my dad's. All cuts are from Rock Princess and the design paper is from my scraps...that aren't labeled (how did that happen?). Thanks for the visit. You ladies are FABULOUS!
Hugs,
~Shen

Special Note: My friend Lisa is almost at 500 followers...if you haven't visited and decided to follow her, pease do so...you will not regret it, she is amazingly talented and her projects always have so much awesome detail. She has a super cool Cricut cart as Blog Candy also.

Ice Cream Sunshine

Hello Lovelies,
I have a card to share with you today. I used the Once Upon A Princess and Doodlecharms carts. The Specialty Collection's "Summer Fun" paper stack was also used for this card. I am trying to add the details that you all ask for...I am still working on writing down the cut sizes for you (a work in progress). After I decide on which challenge I am creating to link up to or if I want to play along with one at all, I honestly just sit down at my desk flip through my papers that are within reach and go from there, my cuts are the last thing that I decide upon and I usually just grab my favorite CAC cart and pick a cut that I haven't used before, sometimes it turns out good and others, well. Again, thanks for the visit and have a awesome day.
Hugs,
~Shen

Linking up to the Paper Cutz Challenge!

Linking up to the Cooking With Cricut Challenge!

Blog Awards

Hello Lovelies,
I had the awesome honor of receiving some awards from some super talented ladies...Lisa, Amy and Diana. If you haven't visited these ladies and became followers, what are you waiting for? Run don't walk over to their blogs and follow them, you'll be inspired and amazed daily at their awesome projects. I feel so blessed to be amongst such talent. I am not going to bore you with things about me, I'm really not that interesting anyway. Thanks for the visit and have an awesome day!
Hugs,
~Shen

Passing along to the following ladies:

1. LaKesha

2. Pam

3. Kelly

4. Amy

5. Felicia

I, of course want to pass this award back to the (3) awesome ladies that passed it along to me.

THANKS LISA, AMY and DIANA, you ladies ROCK!

I also received this award back from Lisa, she is so super sweet.

OMGoodness - A Non-Cricut Card

Hello Lovelies,
I have another card to share with you today.  I got off to a late start today and I am trying to make up for lost time and meet my personal daily quota - lol. So, to help me out a little bit and because my 6 year-old wanted me to bake cookies at 9:30 p.m. tonight and I want to go to sleep before 2 a.m. I am posting a Cricutless card. I have mixed feelings about this one. I prefer to use my Cricut. I hope you like what I came up with. I used a sketch for this one, not sure I followed it exactly...I had other plans, I suppose. Thanks for visiting me today and hurry back soon.
Hugs,
~Shen

Linking up to the Stamptacular Sunday Challenge!

Busy Bee - Create A Critter

Hello Lovelies,
I have a card to share with you today. This is my first post today at 8:16 p.m. (CST) - I can barely believe it.  The reason behind my late post is...my mom's birthday, yippee!  We had an awesome time. I did miss you ladies, so as soon as I could, I hurried into my craft room and whipped up a card to share and voila! I hope you like and are inspired. Thanks for the visit as always.
Hugs,
~Shen

Linking up to The Crazy Challenge!

Linking up to the Kaboodle Doodles Challenge!

Super Cute Fox Hunting We Will Not Go...

Hello Lovelies,
I have yet another card to share with you all today. The cart used for the cuts is Create A Critter, my favorite just in case you hadn't noticed - lol. I will be linking this one up to a couple of challenges...I'll post the links above my photo once I decide which ones.
Again, thanks for stopping by for a visit.
Hugs,
~Shen

Linking up to the Fantabulous Cricut Challenge!
Linking up to the KB Cute Monday Challenge!

Time To Worm-Play

Hello Lovelies,
I have another card to share with you today. I used the Create A Critter cart for this one, my favorite. I am linking this one up to the challenge at Paper Playtime and My Creative Time. I had so much fun making this card, hope you like. As always, thanks for the visit.
Hugs,
~Shen

Flying Chickie Bird-Day

Hello Lovelies,
I have a card to share with you today. The cart used is Once Upon A Princess. I am linking this one up to the challenge over at Birthday Sundaes (use orange, green and white) and You Had Me At Craft. Thanks for stopping by to visit me today.
Hugs,
~Shen

Popsicle Fun

Hello Lovelies,
I have yet another card to share with you today.  I am linking this one up to the challenges over at Cooking With Cricut (anything goes) and Scrapalicious USA (#10, use turquoise). Thanks again for the visit. Have a wonderful day!
Hugs,
~Shen

Have A Merry Seal-Mas

Hello Lovelies,
I have another card to share with you ladies today.  I'm struggling a little bit today...my brain is still on vacation I guess - lol. The picture quality isn't that great...I'll retake this one tomorrow in the daylight. Anyhoo, I will be linking this one up to the challenge at CTO! Thanks for the visit.
Hugs,
~Shen

Season's Greeting - Reindeer

Hello Lovelies,
I have a card to share with you today. I have mixed feelings about this card, my cricut cuts aren't as sharp as usual but I don't trash anything anymore so here goes. I am linking this card up to the challenge over at The Paper Variety.  As always, thanks for the visit.
Hugs,
~Shen

Blog Awards and Special Thanks

Hello Lovelies,
I am playing catch up today, or so it seems.  I would like to thank Amy, Pam and LaKesha for giving me this award.  Amy is one of the nicest ladies that I've ever had the pleasure of meeting, even if it is only cyber, she's really kind and super talented, you'll love her and her creativity. Pam is the sweetest, she is so nice and thoughtful, she just warms my heart.  I love visiting Pam, she always has an adorable project, an idea, a thought, or super kind words to share, she is amazing. LaKesha is such a generous and genuinely adorable person...she is my motivator when I'm slacking - lol. She creates the most elegant projects...love her. These ladies are very talented and so super sweet. Please take a moment to go visit them, you'll definitely be inspired and very glad that you did. I am not going to bore you by listing things about me, because I think I tell you ladies something about me in every post, how boring, I know - lol. I am giving this award to the following awesome ladies:

1. Lisa
2. Amy
3. Kellie
4. Kelly
5. Kim
6. Pam (I have to give it back).
7. LaKesha (I have to give it back).
8. Amy (I have to give it back).

THANKS PAM, AMY, LAKESHA!

I also received an award from Kim and LaKesha. Now, I have to tell you something about these two awesome ladies...Kim is such a sweetie, she makes me smile everytime I visit her blog or she leaves a comment, she is just a really nice person and you definitely want to get to know her, she's amazing.  LaKesha, is just as sweet as can be, she motivates me, we are a lot alike in many ways, and she'll always leave me a comment that makes me want to create more. I think she is just wonderful and if you haven't met her, you are definitely missing out. Please visit these two ladies, they ROCK! Again, I'm not going to bore you with things about me. I am however going to give this award to some special ladies. I would give it to the same people above but they know I adore them and they are FABULOUS, so I'm going to give this award to some new people that might not know how FABULOUS I think they are. So, without further delay, here we go...

THANKS KIM and LAKESHA!

1. Adrian

2. Melissa

3. Raina

4. Georgiana

5. Gloria

6. Sonia

7. Kim (I have to give it back).

8. LaKesha ( I have to give it back).



Also, I want to thank Kate, she is a really nice and talented lady also. I had the privilege of winning Blog Candy on her blog, so thank you so very much Kate.

A special thank you to Mollie, another super talented and very nice lady. I won Blog Candy on her blog as well...thank you Mollie, I had a lot of fun visiting you and thanks for such an awesome opportunity.

I do apologize for the super long post but this was important. Thanks again for the visit.