Autumn Blessings . . .

Good Morning, Stamping Friends!

Popping in really quick to share a card that I created for two different challenges:  The CARDS Gallery Challenge (fall cards), and the A Muse Studio Challenge (buttons).  I received some new A Muse Studio stamps yesterday, and just had to immediately get them inky.

PRODUCTS USED:
STAMPS:  Autumn Beauty (A Muse Studio), Dash Pattern (Hero Arts), Fillable Frames (PTI)
INK:  Chocolate, Nutmeg and Mango (Fresh Ink), Pumpkin (A Muse Studio), VersaMark (Tsukineko)
PAPER:  Kraft and Vintage Cream CS (PTI), Pinecone CS (Bazzill)
ACCESSORIES:  Acorn Die (Lifestyle Crafts), Thanksgiving Baker’s Twine (Trendy Twine), Button (stash), Stampin’ Dimensionals (Stampin’ Up!), Canvas Impression Plate (PTI)

That’s it for me today, kids.  I’m off to run some errands and then back for more stamping!  Have a great day!

CARDS Gallery Challenge–Happy Birthday!

Hi Kids!

Can you believe I’ve posted so many days in a row?!!  This is kinda fun . . . I gotta remember to do this more often.  LOL  So, today I wanted to share with you the card that I made for the current CARDS Gallery Challenge, which is to create a birthday card.  Easy, right?!

I’ve actually had this idea in my head ever since some new PTI stuff arrived at my doorstep a few weeks ago.  I love their dies – so fun and super versatile.  So many of them mix and match together to create some really great embellishments.  I used the Take Three die to create the openings on the card base for the gifts.  Then I embossed the woodgrain onto the card base using an impression plate.  Then I used the ribbon/bow from the Make A Wish Collection dies.  Assembling it all was super easy!  I just created a panel for the inside of the card, and adhered three strips of polka dot paper so that each color peeked through each opening – I adhered the polka dot panel to the inside of the card using pop dots to give the gifts some dimension.  The ribbons/bows are attached to the card front with a glue pen.  The sentiment was stamped with VersaMark and then heat embossed with navy embossing powder.  Easy peasy!!

PRODUCTS USED:
STAMPS:  PAPERTREY INK (Make A Wish)
INK:  TSUKINEKO (VersaMark)
PAPER:  NEENAH CLASSIC CREST (Solar White Ultra Smooth CS), PAPERTREY INK (Simply Chartreuse, Enchanted Evening and Hawaiian Shores CS), ECHO PARK (Dots & Stripes Metropolitan Collection)
ACCESSORIES:  PAPERTREY INK (Take Three Die, Make A Wish Collection Die, and Woodgrain Impression Plate), SAKURA (Quickie Glue Pen), ZING/AMERICAN CRAFTS (Denim Embossing Powder), STAMPIN’ UP! (Stampin’ Dimensionals)

Okay, that’s it for today!  Thanks so much for stopping by!

I’M A COVER GIRL!!

Hello Chickies!!

I’ve been keeping a secret for quite a while now, and I can finally share it with you all!  I was lucky enough to have two cards picked up for publication in what used to be called “Go To Sketches for Card Makers Two” and is now called “Card Ideas for Paper Crafters.”  And as if that wasn’t thrilling enough (especially since it was my first time being published by Paper Crafts Magazine), I got a follow up email from Susan Opel, Creative Editor of Paper Crafts Magazine, indicating that one of the two cards they chose would be on the cover of the magazine.  Are you kidding me?!!  My card is the one on the bottom – yep, a cityscape!  LOL  You all know I loves me some cityscapes!!  I don’t yet have a copy of that baby in my hot little hands, but I’m hoping it arrives any day now.  Until then, I’ll be stalking my mail lady . . . she’d better watch out!  LOL  I believe that Card Ideas for Paper Crafters goes on sale in stores August 9th (in case you want to get a copy for yourself ) – woohoo!!

I also had a couple of cards published in July’s issue of CARDS Magazine as well as the CREATE: Stamping issue.  The first two pics above were in CARDS, and the second two were in CREATE: Stamping.  There’s nothing like seeing your work in print . . . takes my breath away every single time.

 

Thank you for letting me brag on myself a little bit.  I hope the rest of this week continues to be great for y’all!  I think summer has finally arrived here in Seattle, so that makes me happy.  It’s Seafair Weekend – big tradition in Seattle!  We’ll be celebrating at a friend’s lake house on Saturday, watching the rooster tails of the hydroplanes and oohing and ahhhing over the Blue Angels’ stunts.  There’s nothing like Seafair in Seattle, especially when it’s sunny!!  Thanks so much for stopping by today!!

CARDS Gallery Challenge–Accordian Flowers!

Happy Thursday, Friends!!


We’ve had some amazing weather the last couple of days, so I’ve had a hard time focusing on things in my craft room – especially after spending the bulk of the weekend creating for a few pub calls.  But I did get a chance to create a little sumpin’ sumpin’ for this week’s CARDS Magazine Gallery Challenge – which is to create a project using accordion flowers.  I’ve actually been really fascinated by these babies of late, and was happy for the chance to try one out.  I wasn’t brave enough to figure out how to make one on my own – thankfully, Memory Box has made it easy for scaredy cats like myself.  They’ve come out with an uber cool die that creates a really nice scalloped edge, and it scores it for you so that all you have to do is fold it accordion style and adhere the two ends together – it’s called the Blooming Rosette and Center.  Super easy!  Now that I’ve created one with the die, I really think I could do the same thing on my own with my border punches and my Martha Stewart Score Board.  Right?!  My mind is swimming with ideas, now!

STAMPS:  PAPERETREY INK (Think Big Favorites #4)
INK:  FRESH INK (Slate Pigment Ink)
PAPER:  A MUSE STUDIO (Buttercup Polka Dot CS), STAMPIN’ UP! (Basic Grey CS), NEENAH CLASSIC CREST (Ultra Smooth Solar White CS)
ACCESSORIES:  MEMORY BOX (Blooming Rosette and Center Die), WE R MEMORY KEEPERS (Corner Chomper), PAPERTREY INK (Lemon Tart Button, Turning a New Leaf Die, and Wood Grain Impression Plate), DIVINE TWINE (Dove Grey Baker’s Twine), PROVO CRAFT (Cuttlebug), EK SUCCESS (1" Circle Punch)

That’s it for me today, chickies!  I’ll be back tomorrow with my sample for the next CAS-ual Fridays Challenge – it’s another really fun one, so I hope you’ll come by again to check it out!  Until then, please know how much I appreciate you!

A Couple of Challenge Cards!

Hi Kids!

Wow!  Posting two days in a row – pretty good, huh?!  LOL  I’ve been really trying to play along with some of my favorite challenges that I’ve been missing lately, so I’ve got two cards to share with you today.


The first one is the for CARDS/CREATE Gallery Challenge, which is to create a card using lots of JEWELS.  Well, if that isn’t right up my alley, then I don’t know what is!  I recently picked up a super sweet sentiment set and coordinating rainbow and cloud die from Lil Inker Designs – are those clouds not the cutest?!  I blinged out the rainbow and stamped the sentiment on the clouds.  Easy peasy!


The second card I wanted to share with you today is another card for the Clean and Simple Challenge over at Splitcoast Stampers – CAS125 – Red, White and Black color challenge.  Maya Road makes some of the most fun stamps and images, and this one is no exception, IMHO.  I stamped the typewriter image onto white CS and fussy cut it out.  I then cut out the piece of typewriter paper, and stamped the X and the O – the alphabet comes with the typewriter image.  Fun, right?!  The stamped text background is from the Papertrey Ink Background Basics: Text Style II set.


Before I head out today, I want to remind you about this week’s CAS-ual Fridays Challenge #8, which is to create a clean and simple card and use your border punches, rip some cardstock, whatever your pleasure to add a fun edge.  There are some amazing entries so far, but I didn’t want you to miss out in case you were planning on playing along with us.  You have until 11:59 PM (EDT) TONIGHT – do it!!

I plan to create a few more goodies to share with you this week, so I hope you’ll drop in again real soon!  Thanks so much for your sweet, sweet comments . . . they make me smile.

School Is Cool and a Blog Award!!

 

Hey!!

 

How’s your week going so far?  I’ve had another fantastic  week so far.  Monday was pretty quiet, Tuesday was spent cropping with the sweetest girl I know, and my hot air balloon card was announced yesterday as one of the five winners of THIS challenge.  Oh, and I got some really great happy mail yesterday, too . . . more on that at a later date.  Just can’t imagine that this week could possibly get any better.  Can it?!  LOL

 

 

I wanted to share a card that I made for a recent CARDS Magazine pub call – it was RE-JECTED!  LOL  But I thought it was pretty stinkin’ cute, regardless.  I cut it out using my Silhouette SD – do you have any idea how much I am LOVING that baby?!!  The cut file was purchased from Silhouette Studio (for $.75 cents!!)  I think I’ll send this off to my daughter, who is working as a long-term sub for a middle school English class for the rest of the school year . . . pretty sure she can use a little pick-me-up, right?!  Oh, and my heart wasn’t too broken that this card wasn’t picked up – I had two others that were!!  YAY!!

 

 

Lastly, my sweet blogging friend, Jen W. over at Jenerally Speaking, sent me a blog award.  Jen is so kind and generous with her comments.  She is forever bringing a smile to my face, and she’s pretty stinkin’ talented to boot!  Be sure and stop by her blog to leave her some love.

In accepting the award I have to complete a few tasks:

1.  Thank the person who gave you the award.

Thanks so much, Jen!!

2.  Post this award on your blog

You're looking at it, sistah!

3.  List 3 things that you love about yourself

I love that I can identify just about any reality TV star (you’re impressed, right?!), I love that I can flip my eyelids inside out, and I love that I can fit into the same size jeans as both of my daughters (most days).  LOL

4.  Post a picture that you love

I not only love this picture . . . I love the little boy in it.  This is my sweet grandson, Brecken, who will be a year old in a few weeks!!  Seriously?!  I swear he was just born last week!!  Ugh!!

5.  Tag 5 people to receive this award

There are way more than 5 people who I would love to give this award to but I've managed to whittle down my list.  Here are the 5 fabulous ladies I'm passing the Cherry on Top Award to, in no particular order.

Terri – Fresh Cut Flours

Lori  – Stamp Scents

Ashley – One In the SAHM

Courtney – This Was Supposed to Be Easy

Michele – Studio MSG

Be sure to check out these talented ladies and leave them some love.  :)

 

Okay, that’s it for me today, friends.  I hope that your week is turning out as fabulously as mine is.  I’ll be back soon with more crafty sharing for you!!  Thanks so much for stopping by today . . . I so appreciate it.

CARDS Gallery Challenge–Easter Cards!

 

Hello Crafty Friends!!

 

Popping in today to share two cards that I made for this week’s CARDS Magazine Gallery Challenge – Easter Cards!  I adore Paige’s challenges because they always inspire me to create something unexpected for me.  Today’s  cards are no exception.  Both cards were created using my brand spankin’ new Silhouette SD.  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!  The cut files were purchased from the Silhouette Studio.

My first card was a bunny shaped card that cut out like a dream.  I embellished it with some fun polka dots using Papertrey Ink’s Polka Dot Basics II and some Fresh Snow pigment ink.  The gingham bunny tails are some brads that I picked up at Hobby Lobby a hundred years ago.  The tag was created using the new Tiny Tags die cut from Papertrey Ink, and the sentiment is from the PTI Mixed Messages set.  The tag is tied around the bunny’s neck with Cotton Candy Baker’s Twine.  Cute, right?!

My second card can also be used as a treat holder – isn’t he stinkin’ adorable?!  Again, my Silhouette cut this baby out like it was buttah, I tell ya!  The pink polka dot paper is from Papertrey Ink and is called Happy Spots.  More Cotton Candy Baker’s Twine for his whiskers, and the sweet tag is again from the Tiny Tags Die Cut and coordinating Stamp set.  How fun would it be to create a bunch of these with some yummy Cadbury Chocolate Easter Eggs wrapped up inside?  Yummmm!!

 

I thought I’d share a picture from the wedding that I was in this past weekend.  My sweet friend, Kim Hughes, got married to the love of her life, and I was blessed and honored to be her Matron of Honor.  Isn’t she beautiful?!!  I also had the great pleasure of meeting one of Kim’s friends, Becky Olson, whose work I have admired for a while now.  The other cute face in the pic is Lori Barnett (far left), our fun and silly cropping buddy.  Love these girls!!

 

That’s it for me today, folks.  Thanks so much for stopping by today.  I hope you have a great day!

Someone PINCH me!!

Happy St. Paddy's Day, Friends!!

Pinch me PLEASE!!  I feel like I'm living in a dream right now!!  I just got another HAPPY EMAIL from Susan Opel at Paper Crafts Magazine for another one of my cards!!!  The one they chose (sorry, I can't share it with you until September!) will appear in the September/October issue of Paper Crafts Magazine.  Are you KIDDING ME?!!  Needless to say, I am beside myself with happiness and glee.  I know I'm lucky because the odds were totally against me - there were 925 submissions and 338 of them were for Halloween (the only category that I submitted for), to fill 80 spots in the issue.  There were 66 designers and 11 brand newbies chosen, so I seriously did NOT expect to get an email today.  But let me tell you, I am one happy leprechaun for sure!!

Okay, I think I've gushed enough for one day.  Thank you for indulging me.  Before I go, there's a really fun lady who is once again hosting a Reject Blog Hop.  Dr. Amber of Damask Love is the hostess with the mostess.  Check out all the fabulous rejects HERE.  I'm happily including my reject from this call.  I've submitted this puppy to death and no one has picked it up, so I think I'll put a fork in it.  I personally thought it was stinkin' cute, especially since it uses the bat from Paper Smooches' Falling For You set.  This is actually version 2 of one that I created for a CARDS Magazine call that was REJECTED, too!  LOL  But I'm okay with it . . . really, I am!

I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day!  I've been creating like a fiend, so I've got lots of goodies to share with you all very soon!  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Call Me!

 

Happy Wednesday Friends!!

 

Just a quick post today as I’m off to have some fun with my kids and grandson.  It’s the day before they leave, so we’re looking to cram as much fun into their last full day as we can.

 

 

Thought I’d share a card I made for last week’s CARDS Gallery Challenge, which was to create a shaped card – rectangle or square cards.  So I decided to break out my new birthday Cricut Expression and see what fun I could create.  I found this fun little old school telephone on the Nifty Fifties cart that hubby bought me with my new Expression.  I used some new My Mind’s Eye DP, a little bit of stitching with my Sew Mini, and some fun buttons and ribbon.  Easy peasy!!  Sadly, I never got around to submitting it for the challenge . . . duh!  LOL  But I sure had fun making it, so I thought I’d share it with you all today.

 

I hope to be back in the next couple of days . . . once I get the beds stripped and remade, and my house decrapified of baby stuff.  In the meantime, thanks so much for stopping by.  Have a great day!

Washi You Were Here–LOL!!

 

Hello Kiddles!!

 

I’m back today to share a little morsel I cooked up for the latest Moxie Fab World Challenge – Get Daring With Decorative Tape.  I am such a fan of Cath’s challenges, and this one is no exception, especially since she forces me to use untouched craft supplies that I’ve had for eons.  So for that, I thank you, Cath!!  Plus, her inspiration almost always revs up my mojo – again, many thanks, Cath!!  LOL  Coincidentally, this week’s CARDS Gallery Challenge is to use Washi Tape, too – the stars are aligned!!

 

So, my vision was a city skyline – maybe a Miami Beach city skyline.  LOL  I recently picked up a new EK Success Plaid Border Punch that I just HAD to have but was totally perplexed as to how to use it in my designing.  Then it hit me – if I punched the Washi tape with the Plaid Border Punch, it would look like windows in skyscrapers.  Brilliance, I tell ya!!  LOL  And super easy, too!

 

Since Washi Tape has a light adhesive, you can stick it and remove it pretty easily.  So I stuck each strip of Washi tape onto some vellum and punched the Plaid Border Punch.  Then I used my handy dandy tweezers to peel it away from the vellum and adhere it to the image panel.  I think you’re supposed to tear the Washi tape – but I just can’t do that.  I think it’s against my religion . . . it’s just too messy for my eye to handle.  So, I cut a few of the tapes at an angle at the top.  I love the dimension that each building has.  I stamped the Hero Arts Grid background in Provincial Gray Fresh Ink to add to the graphic feel of the buildings, and the polka dot road was stamped using Polka Dot Basics from Papertrey Ink (stamped with Slate Fresh Ink).  The sentiment is from the Hero Arts Wish You Were Here clear set.

 

That’s it for me today, friends.  I’m off to crop at a friend’s house today . . . it’ll be the last time for a few weeks as my kids will be here next week.  Oh I can’t wait for that!!  Thanks for stopping by today – your visits and comments mean the world to me!

CARDS Magazine Doily Challenge!

 

Happy Monday, Friends!

 

Hope you had a great weekend – mine was pretty quiet and uneventful due to a little bit of a stomach bug.  But I’m feeling much better today, and am off to crop with friends.

 

 

Thought I’d share a card I made yesterday (while hubby was at a “Boys Only” Super Bowl Party) for this week’s CARDS Gallery Challenge, which is to use doilies in your design.  I adore doilies; in fact, I’m just plain OBSESSED with doilies, and own them in many forms – doily stamps, paper doilies, rub on doilies, chip board doilies . . . you name it, I’ve got it.  So I was thrilled to pieces to see that Paige’s new challenge asked us to include doilies in our design.  Especially since I haven’t played in the CARDS Gallery Challenges in quite a while.

 

I used a paper doily that I recently got from Ellen Hutson and trimmed it to fit the DP (new Memory Box design called Brioche).  I added a ZVA pearl flourish for some sweet drama.  The stamped image is from Round & Round, the 2009 Limited Edition set from Papertrey Ink.  This was the first time I inked that baby up, and it felt good!!  The ribbon is Spring Rain from PTI.  I didn’t add a sentiment on purpose . . . it’s nice to have an all occasion card around just in case, right?

 

That’s it for me today!  Thanks so much for stopping by today – have a great day!

My Fave PTI Project, and some Pubs!

 

Happy Saturday, Friends!

 

I’m back today to share a couple of things.  But first, DID YOU SEE THE AMAZING GIVEAWAY ON NICHOLE HEADY’S BLOG?  Over $700 worth of product will be given away to a random commenter.  Holy Shnykies!!  The contest for today is to link up your favorite PTI project for 2010.  Well, I just happened to have made up a baby card for my neighbor a couple of weeks ago, and it uses one of my most fave-a-lave PTI sets ever.

 

It’s nothing over the top gorgeous, but I love how sweet it turned out, and without a lot of hoopla.  KWIM?  That’s one of the things that I love about PTI’s images.  Simple yet sweet enough to stand on their own without a lot of foof!  My neighbor loved it, and so did her daughter-in-law, so that’s all that matters to me.  I used Baby Button Bits for the image and sentiment.

I also wanted to share the three cards that were published in the January 2011 CARDS Magazine.  Yes, ladies and gents, I said THREE!  Aaacckkkk!!  To say that I was thrilled to pieces is an understatement.  So here ya go!

 

That’s it for me today, kids.  I hope to get some stamping done today.  Thanks so much for stopping by today – have a great day!

First Pub and a Reject!

 

Hi Peeps!

 

Popping in today to share with you my very first EVER published card.  Getting published was a goal that I set for myself when I started this blog in December, 2008.  A very sweet friend of mine has been instrumental in mentoring me and sharing her expertise and critical eye.  Her guidance has been so incredibly helpful.  So after a few tries with no luck, I was finally successful in having a card picked up for publication by CARDS Magazine.  This card appeared in the July, 2010 issue.  I don’t think I can even articulate the enormous thrill I felt when I found out that I was finally going to be published.  Since that lucky day, I’ve submitted several other cards.  Some have been picked up (September 2010 CARDS, and January, 2011 CARDS), and others have not.  But with every card that I create for submission is a great learning experience.

This is a card that I submitted last month for a CARDS Magazine call for New Arrival cards.  It didn’t get picked up, but it was super fun to make!!  New My Mind’s Eye DP and a sweet onesie template designed by the talented friend mentioned above and I’ve got myself a pretty darned cute New Arrival card.  Honestly, when this one didn’t get picked up, I wasn’t sad at all because it meant that I could give it away.  My daughters’ friends are having a baby every day, it seems!!  LOL

 

That’s it for me today.  Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you have a great day, and that you’ll stop by again real soon.

Many Thanks!!

 

Hi Chickies!

 

Happy Tuesday!!  I’m so excited because today for the first time in a long time, I got to play along with some of my favorite challenges!!  My mojo had disappeared for a bit, and I was so busy with other stuff that I just couldn’t bring myself to play along.  But I’m happy to report that I’m BACK!!  LOL

Today’s card uses a stamp set that I’ve been dying to use and just haven’t had a chance to – Woodgrain Silhouettes Additions by W Plus 9 Design.  The leaf image is from that set – isn’t it delicious?!!  The woodgrain background was created using a new Hero Arts wood stamp that I picked up called Woodgrain Circle.  The sentiment is from A Muse Artstamps.

 

Here are the three challenges that I created this card for:

CREATE/CARDS Magazine Challenge – Leaves

W Plus 9 Design Color Cue Challenge #8
Scrappy Saturday Challenge at Wee Memories – CAS and/or Tags

 

This was so fun, and I hope to have some time to create for even more challenges today.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you have a great day!

 

Thanks for Everything!

Hi Peeps!


Happy Thursday!  I intended to be back sooner than today, but life just got in the way.  I’ve been crafting, but most of it I can’t share with you just yet.  I do have a card that I made last night for the CARDS Magazine/CREATE Blog Challenge, which is to create a project using the handmade paper flowers that are all the rage right now.  They require a lot of fussing, which is something I try not to spend time doing these days.  But I think they turned out pretty cute, so it was worth all the fussing.  Not sure how I'd ever mail this thing . . . LOL!

STAMPS:  Mehndi Medallions (W Plus 9 Design)
INK:  Tuxedo Black (Memento)
PAPER:  Kraft CS (Papertrey Ink), Clothesline DSP (Little Yellow Bicycle)
ACCESSORIES:  Flatback Pearls (Melissa Francis), Pink Baker’s Twine (Devine Twine), Cotton Lace (JoAnn’s), Janome Sew Mini, Corner Rounder (EK Success), Flower Die (Sizzix), Glue Dots, Sticky Strip

I have a fun little secret to share with you all . . . I submitted four cards to CARDS Magazine for the January, 2011 issue, and THREE cards were picked up!!  Shut the Front Door!!  LOL  Just had to tell you all - don't tell anyone though, okay?!  LOL

That’s all for me today!  I hope you enjoy your day – thanks for stopping by!

What’s Up?

Hi Kids!


I’m back today with another card for the CARDS Magazine Blog Challenge – Kites.  Isn’t it so fun?!!  It’s totally different than the other one I made yesterday.  I picked up this Fancy Pants Wishful Thinking DP when I was in AZ – I ADORE it!!  The colors are awesome and the patterns are so fun and whimsical, with a little bit of elegance thrown in for good measure.  Right?!  Anyway, I hope that Paige likes it – I live for her challenges, I tell ya.  LOL

I used two different stamp sets for the kite.  I used the Stamps of Life Kites 2 Fly set for the main part of the kite, and October Afternoon’s Kite Tales for the tail.  The cloud also came from the OA set.  The sentiment is from another Stamps of Life set called Hello 2 You.  Super fun sentiments.  I’ve listed the supplies used below.

STAMPS:  Kites 2 Fly and Hello 2 You (Stamps of Life), Kite Tales (October Afternoon)
INK:  Rich Cocoa (Memento)
PAPER:  Kraft CS (PTI), Wishful Thinking DP (Fancy Pants)
ACCESSORIES:  Janome Sew Mini, Stampin’ Dimensionals (Stampin’ Up!), Hibiscus Burst Button (PTI), Green Apple Baker’s Twine (Divine Twine), Zig Zag Edger Punch (EK Success)

That’s it for me today.  I plan to craft and stamp all weekend long – how about you?  Any fun plans? Oh and we're having dinner with friends Saturday night.  Thanks so much for stopping by!