CAS-ual Fridays Challenge #55–Put A Bling On It!

 

Hello again, friends!!

 

I know, I know . . . I’ve been MIA.  But it’s totally for a good reason!!  I’ve been enjoying spending time with our oldest grandson for the last several days – we took him back home this morning.  Boy is it quiet around here today!  LOL  But I have every intention of getting into my craft room this weekend – so look out!!

I do have a project to share for this week’s CAS-ual Fridays Challenge, which is:  Create a CLEAN AND SIMPLE project and include some kind of bling – rhinestones, glitter, stickles (whatever you have in your stash that sparkles!) – in your design.  Super awesome (as my two year old grandson would say, with the cutest little lisp), right?!

As is always the case for the first challenge of every month, Simon Says Stamps is once again our sponsor extraordinaire – and if you’ve never shopped with them before, you really MUST do it sometime soon!  Their customer service is outstanding, and they carry just about every kind of crafting NECESSITY known to man – NO JOKE!!  Not only will this week’s TGIF Winner win a fabulous prize provided by Simon Says Stamps (you’ll have to click on over to the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge Blog to find out what it is, though), but he or she will also get to be our Guest Designer.  Thank you Simon Says Stamps!

 

I have to confess that I kind of cheated on this one.  I happened to have a publication reject that was just sitting on my desk, waiting to be shared, and low and behold it fit the challenge – BONUS!!  LOL  I used Geo-Graphic from Paper Smooches (designed by ME!) for the hexagon layer.  I then adhered some Stampin’ Dimensionals (because they’re shaped PERFECTLY to fit inside the stamped hexagons) randomly and sprinkled three different colors of Doodlebug Sugar Coating Glitter.  The sentiment is from Year Round Sentiments from Hero Arts.

STAMPS:  Geo-Graphic (Paper Smooches), Year Round Sentiments (Hero Arts)
INK:  Black Dye Ink (Memories/Hero Arts), VersaMark (Tsukineko)
PAPER:  Blue Raspberry CS (French Poptone), Solar White CS (Neenah Classic Crest)
OTHER:  Sugar Coating Glitter (Doodlebug Designs), Stampin’ Dimensionals (Stampin’ Up!), Black Embossing Powder (Zing/American Crafts)

 

Well, that’s it for me today, friends.  I have a stampy friend coming over to crop with me today – perhaps I’ll actually get something done!  Thanks so much for stopping by today.  Before I go, I’d highly recommend that you click on through to the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge Blog, as the other Girl Fridays, including our Guest Designer for June – Piali Biswas – have some TERRIFIC goodies to share with you!  Have a great weekend!

CAS-ual Fridays Challenge #54–Man, It’s Casual Friday!

 

Happy, Happy Friday!!

 

Phew!!  We finally made it back to Washington in one piece, but 26 hours in the car has taken a toll on this old bag!!  LOL  But I’m starting to feel back to my old self again, and look forward to a full weekend of stamping and crafting now that we’re all settled.

I’m here to share this week’s new CAS-ual Fridays Challenge – it’s a super fun one!!  This week’s challenge:  Create a CLEAN & SIMPLE masculine project and include patterned paper in your design.

We have an amazing sponsor for this week’s challenge – Gina K Designs!  Gina K is one of the most generous and brilliant stamp companies in our industry, and she shared some utterly fabulous designer paper with the Girl Fridays - it fits this challenge to a tee!!  Gina K Stamps has also provided a terrific prize for this week’s TGIF Winner, but you’ll have to click on through to the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge Blog to find out what it is!  Oh and while you’re there, be sure to check out the deliciousness that the other Girl Fridays have cooked up for you all – I know you’ll be blown away!!  Thank you, Gina K Stamps, for your kind generosity!!  You ROCK!!

When I received the Casual Friday paper pack, I literally swooned over these amazing patterns.  I don’t use much designer paper in my projects anymore . . . but this stuff was an absolute pleasure to work with!  The images look 3-D – incredible detail, I tell ya!  I’ve listed the other products used below, if you’re interested.

STAMPS:  A Pocketful and Super Star (WPlus9 Designs), Brief Notes (A Muse Studio)
INK:  Navy (Fresh Ink), Pebble (A Muse Studio)
PAPER:  Casual Friday DP (Gina K Designs), Desert Storm CS (Neenah Classic Crest)
OTHER:  A Pocketful Die (WPlus9 Designs), Vintage Labels Dies (A Muse Studio), Linen Impression Plate (PTI), Baker’s Twine (Divine Twine)

 

That’s it for me today, kids!  I hope you have an amazing Memorial Day Weekend.  As mentioned above, I plan to spend the entire weekend stamping and crafting.  How about you?!  Thanks so much for stopping by today – you all are my heart!  XO

CAS-ual Fridays Challenge #53–Let’s Get Punchy!!

 

Happy Friday, my stampy sisters!!

It’s that time again – time for our next CAS-ual Fridays Challenge!!  This week’s challenge is to:  Create a CLEAN & SIMPLE project and use punches OR dies in your design!!  Now this one is right up my alley!!

This week’s lovely and uber generous sponsor is Lawn Fawn Stamps!!  I’m sure you are all familiar with the fun and cute images that are the signature of Lawn Fawn – they have some of the cutest stamps in all of stamp land!!  And they were kind enough to share some stamps with the Girl Fridays (and some yummolicious designer papers with the Girl Fridays Facebook Team).  I’m pretty sure they’ve offered up a terrific prize for this week’s TGIF Winner, but you’ll have to click on over to the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge Blog to find out what it is!  Thank you, Lawn Fawn Stamps!

I was thrilled to work with a new to me Lawn Fawn stamp set called Critters in the Sea.  I fell in love with that sweet whale – isn’t he adorable?!  I chose to use dies to create the waves, and I also used a corner rounder punch on the corners.

STAMPS:  Critters in the Sea (Lawn Fawn)
INK:  Unicorn and Black (Memories/Hero Arts), VersaMark (Tsukineko)
PAPER:  Blueberry Sky, Spring Rain, Enchanted Evening CS (PTI), Lily White and Gray CS (Bazzill Basics Paper)
OTHER:  Stone and Denim Baker’s Twine (The Twinery), Scallop Border Die (PTI), Corner Chomper (We R Memory Keepers)

 

Need more inspiration?!!  Then you need to head on over to the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge Blog to see what the other Girl Fridays have cooked up for your eyes to feast.  And if that’s not enough, you know we have a Girl Fridays Facebook Team, right?!!  A new sample will be shared on our Facebook page every day of the week, until the next challenge.  You seriously need to check these amazing designers out – you won’t be sorry!  You can click on the pic below to see for yourself.

Well, that’s it for me today, kids!  I’ve got a busy day of lunching, and nails, and then dinner out.  Not to mention a million other errands that I need to get done before we leave for Washington first thing Monday morning.  So if things are quiet around here for the next few days, you’ll know why.  But I promise I’ll be back very soon with some crafty goodness to share with you all!!  Hope you have a great weekend and thanks for stopping by!!

CAS-ual Fridays Challenge #52–Birds of a Feather!

 

Hello Stampy Friends!

It’s time, once again, for another CAS-ual Fridays Challenge.  Wasn’t last week’s birthday celebration super fun?!!  I loved checking out all of your beautiful creations – you all just blow me away!!  No doubt, you’ll be just as inspired by this week’s challenge, which is:  Create a CLEAN & SIMPLE project and include a bird in your design.  Inspiring, right?!

And with a new challenge, we have another fabulous sponsor.  Annabelle Stamps is this week’s brilliant sponsor, and they’ve provided a terrific prize for this week’s TGIF winner.  But, you’ll have to click on over to the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge Blog to find out what it is!  Thank you, Annabelle Stamps!!  Oh, and while you’re checking out this week’s prize, be sure and feast your eyes on all of the amazing eye candy that the other Girl Fridays have created for your inspiration – it’s delicious, I tell ya!

 

 

I actually created several samples for today’s challenge . . . just couldn’t get a groove going.  After several attempts, this is what I came up with.  If you look close (I think if you click on the pic, it’ll get bigger), you can see that I stamped my houndstooth background from Paper Smooches on the green panel behind the wood grain cardstock.  The die cut leaves and freakin’ adorable birdie are from W Plus 9 Designs.  I’ve listed the other products used below:

STAMPS:  Essential Sentiments (A Muse Studio), Houndstooth Background (Paper Smooches)
INK:  Chocolate and Basil (Fresh Ink)
PAPER:  Hot Fudge and Gum Drop (French Poptone), Berry Sorbet (PTI), Wood Grain CS (The Cat’s Pajamas)
OTHER:  Pearls (Kaiser Craft), Folk Art Floral Dies (W Plus 9 Designs)

 

Well, I hope you all will play along with us again this week – we so love it when you do!  Thanks so much for stopping my blog today.  I’ll be spending the weekend getting ready for the arrival of my daughters and my grandsons on Monday – be still my heart!!  Hope you have an amazing weekend, too!!

CAS-ual Fridays Challenge #51–And Some Fun Changes!!

 

Hola Peeps!

Happy almost Cinco de Mayo!!  Oh, and HAPPY BIRTHAY CASUAL FRIDAYS!!  So, fun, right?!!  Yes, my stamping friends, we are celebrating the first anniversary of the birth of the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge Blog, and man, oh, man do we have some amazing prizes and goodies for you all!!  Oh, and a challenge, too!!  LOL  So let’s get to it, shall we?!

 

• Today is the first challenge for our brand spankin’ new Girl Fridays – and oh my goodness, prepare to be BLOWN away!!  Our fearless leader, Michele Gross, has gathered together some of the premier designers in our fun little community, and I feel confident that you are going to be oh so inspired each and every week for the next six months!!
  
• We also have an ADDITIONAL team of uber talented ladies who will continue to inspire you every day of the week with new projects that they’ll be sharing on their blogs and on the CAS-ual Fridays Facebook Page.  Have you all “LIKED” CAS-ual Fridays on Facebook?  No?  Well, then what the heck are you waiting for?!!  You want to see the Girl Friday Facebook daily projects, right?!!  Of course you do!!  Do it!
  
• A “little birdie” told me that there are some additional prizes for this week’s challenge, in celebration of our birthday.  Who loves prizes?!!  I DO!!
  
• There are a few more details about some really great changes that are taking effect as of today’s challenge, that I know you’re going to want to know about.  But you’ll have to click on through to the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge Blog to find out what they are!!  Go on – I’ll wait!!

 

 

Okay, now that we have that out of the way, I need to remind you of our over the moon amazing sponsor for this week’s challenge!!  Simon Says Stamps – the PREMIER online crafty shopping experience – is once again sponsoring this week’s challenge (it’s the monthly Guest Designer Challenge!!), and not only have they provided a terrific prize for this week’s TGIF Winner, I “heard” that they’ve also thrown in some additional prizes that you can hear all about over at the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge Blog.  Thank you so much, Simon Says Stamps – YOU ROCK!!

Enough blah, blah, blah – right?!  Here’s my sample for this week’s challenge, which is BIRTHDAY – create a CLEAN & SIMPLE project with a birthday theme!!  Happy!  Happy!!  I won’t bore you too much with the details.  I actually created this for my future brother-in-law, who is a motorcycle maniac!!  Like over the top fanatic, I tell ya!  He’s been bugging me for two years to make him a birthday card, and thanks to today’s challenge, I finally got around to it.  His birthday was in February . . . yep, I pretty much SUCK!!  LOL  But I understand that he liked it, so I think I’m off the hook, at least until next year.  Hehehe

 

Thank you so much for sticking with me here, assuming of course that you did.  When I say that the time you spend visiting me here means the world to me, I mean that from the bottom of my heart.  No, really!!  So thank you for stopping by!  I hope you have a great weekend!!  XO