Saturday, July 31, 2010

More Christmas in July

Are you ready for more Christmas in July?  Hope so cause I felt like making another card using a Pure Innocence stamp.  Here's the funny thing, I usually don't send send Christmas cards.  I'll attach them to presents but that's about it.  Maybe this year I'll have a change of heart. 

Here's the deets:
Stamp - MFT Pure Innocence "Presents for You"
Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black for image; Ranger Frayed Burlap sponged on paper edges; CTMH Cranberry for sentiment
Paper - dp My Mind's Eye "Be Merry Oh Christmas Tree" and Making Memories "VH Grace Dots"; cs Stampin' Up Kraft and DCWV green
Miscellaneous - copics; Ranger Glossy Accents on ribbon and heart; white liquid applique for hat trim and collar; mini bards; SU punch; Memory Box Snowflakes bling stickers; dimensionals to pop up image

Here's the challenges:
Crazy for Challenges C4C48 - sketch
Stamp Something - Christmas in July
Raise the Bar #29 - Use a Sticker  (snowflake bling sticker)
Cute Card Thursday #123- Texting Crazy (sentiment)
Simon Says - Dotty
L'il Red Wagon #39 - Christmas in July
Corrosive Challenge #74 - Pink and Blue
Tuesday Taggers - Christmas in July
Tuesday Throwdown #10 - Christmas in July
Oh Alice Chapter 24 - Windows and Broken Glass (crystal effects on ribbon and heart)

Thanks for visiting, I hope you'll come back again.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

At the Beach

When I see this image I can't wait to go to the beach. And when I see this image I wish I looked like that when I go to the beach, but I don't let my looks stand in the way of a pleasant day playing in the surf and sand.  Zola looks like she's having a blast and it's a blast to color this digi image.  It's from Shirley's 2 Girls.  You can pick up this digi image and lots of other fun summer images by clicking here.  If you're not a fan of digi stamps there's a big sale on their stock of acrylic stamps.  Once you get your hot little hands on a fun summer image why not jump in and join the fun by making a card or project for our Twisted Thursday Challenge.  This week the twist is to use summer accessories.  As you can see I've used a beach pail charm.  Of course if you don't have any S2G images you can still play along with us.   The more the merrier and who knows, maybe you'll be the lucky winner.  You can get all the details about the challenge and prizes by clicking here.
I would love to have a tan like Zola, sadly I look more like Casper the Friendly Ghost and a day at the beach for me entails using lots of sun screen. At times I actually end up wearing a long sleeve shirt and pants just to be sure I don't get burnt to a crisp. What really irks me is that my father looked like Zola and so do all my relatives except for my younger brother. We took after our Irish mother. We spent many summer weekends with my father's Italian family who were effortlessly bronzing up while we prayed that we wouldn't get sunburn. The two of us were always freckled face messes by the end of summer and we still are. We like to fool ourselves into believing we're tan but it's just that we have lots more freckles than ever before.
Here's the deets:
Image - "Make Waves" digital stamp Shirley's 2 Girls
Ink - Ranger "Tea Dye" sponged on edge of beige card stock
Paper - Stampin' Up Certainly Celery card stock; dp "Summer" digital paper Shirley's 2 Girls; white and beige card stock scraps; Georgia Pacific card stock for image
Miscellaneous - EK Success "Beach border" punch; Stampin' Up Magic Mesh; Stampin' Up Twill Tape (colored with Copic marker); Stampin' Up button; the Cat's Pajamas twine; Queen and Co. Grass Green Pearls; beach pail charm; dimensionals to pop up image

Here's the challenges:
Shirley's 2 Girls - Twisted Thursday use a summer accessory (beach pail charm)
the Pink Elephant TPE77 - sketch
If the Shoe Fits FF#41 - Take a Vacay
Simon Says - We're All Going Dotty
Crafty Creations #78 - Summer Lovin'
For Fun Challenges - Colors of Summer

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

It's Beginning

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, well at least in card challenge land it is.   So I pulled out one of my S2G Christmas stamps that needed to see ink and made this card.  I love this kitty, I made him to look like my big fat kitty Shamus.  Do you think that's mean to call him that, well I call him that to his face.  I was going to ship him down to Florida with my daughter but the airline had a weight restriction for cats flying on board.  They had to be 10 pounds or less and fit under the seat.  Well, my dear Shamus weighs over 14 pounds so he and sweet little Memphis, who weighs less than 5 pounds will be going by van.  I hope that Shamus isn't telling anyone my weight!  I do entertain myself - remember I'm easily amused.
So here's the deets:
stamp - Shirley's 2 Girls "Everywhere I Go"
ink - CTMH Desert Sand; Memento Tuxedo Black
paper - dp Cosmo Cricket "Jolly By Golly"; cs DCWV
miscellaneous - Memory Box Jewel stickers snowflake bling; ribbon; TCP twine; button; charm; stickles; copics; Prismacolor watercolors

Here's the challenges:
Papertake Weekly #45 - sketch
Tuesday Taggers - Christmas in July
Raise the Bar #28 - Distressed, Torn, Ripped, Broken
Tuesday Throwdown #10 - Christmas in July

Thanks for visiting, I hope you'll come back again.  If you have a second to spare click on the pink ribbon before you leave, it'll help fund a mammogram for someone who cannot afford one.

Monday, July 26, 2010

Welcome Emma!

Welcome Emma! And a great Big Congratulations to dear friend and stamping blogger Megan of Megan Lock Designs.  I just know she's going to be a fantastic mom, she's such a sweetie and so funny too.  I can't wait to see all the things she's going to make for baby Emma Grace.  Megan is tremendously creative and talented so there's sure to be all kinds of neat things which I hope she'll post on her blog.  You can see she puts her heart into everything she does  so you just know that baby "Emma is going to have the most loving and happy home possible. 
Of course I had to make a card for this major life event.  Since I met Megan on the MFT Forums (and now Megan is on the design team) I had to make my card with an MFT stamp, I also used the MFT banner die-namic so I could enter the card into this week's Wednesday Stamp Club challenge.  The letters on the banner are also MFT stamps, which Kim (the MFT Lady) generously added to banner die orders not too long ago.  I used Versa Mark ink and gold embossing powder with one of the "Congrats All Around" stamps on SU's "Soft Suede" card stock.
I really wish I could have figured out where to put a charm on this one cause I have some really cute baby charms.  Oh well...

Here's the deets:
Stamps - MFT "Congrats All Around" and Alphabet used on the banner, sorry I don't know the name of that set
Ink - Versa Mark; Memento Cocoa Brown for the letters
Paper - MFT Pink Lemonade card stock; Stampin' Up Soft Suede card stock; dp Martha Stewart Playful Pink Paper Pad
Miscellaneous - Gold Embossing powder; MFT banner die-namics;  Stampin' Up Rhinestone Brads Fire Circles; the Cat's Pajamas twine

Here's the challenges:
MFT Wednesday Stamp Club - make a card using a banner
Crafty Creations Challenge #77 - Happy or Sweet

Thanks for visiting, I hope you'll come back again.  Don't forget to click on the pink ribbon before you leave, it's a good for your karma.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Some Like It Hot

If you like it hot this has been the summer for you, at least here in New Jersey it has been HOT, HOT, HOT.  I think this has been a record setting year, it's been over 90 degrees more often than not. 
I love the variety of peppers you can find in the summertime.  I particularly love the yellow and red ones.  They are beautiful to look at and I always like the way they look in photos and they make me think of the southwest and my mother's friend who lives in New Mexico.  I've kept in touch with her over the years so after I move I am going to send this card to her with all my new information.
Besides making them into an all occasion card I think they'd look good in a scrapbook layout or a recipe card, hmmm...Whatever you use them for they're fun to color.  I used a copics and stickles on these.  What will you use?  You can go get yourself this digi image (and lots of other fun images) over at Shirley's 2 Girls just by clicking here.  Then you can make it into a card or project for this week's Twisted Thursday challenge to use orange.
Are you busy tonight ?  Well if you have some free time come join us (that's some of the Ladies with Attitude, also known as the design team - yeah, the Ladies name sounds cooler) for some fun.  We're having a Happy Hour at SNR Universe, I'm gonna give you a link so you can just click here to get there.  We're gonna talk, post some new creations, and maybe there'll be a freebie digi for you.   Come on over, I'd love to meet you for a drink. 
Here's the deets:
Paper - SU Bermuda Bay and Crushed Curry card stock; Shirley's 2 Girls digital Summer prints dp
Ink - SU red marker for the sentiment
Miscellaneous - copics; stickles; Martha Stewart tag punch; eyelets; the Cat's Pajama's yellow and white twine; Pebbles Spring Green Candy Dots

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you'll come back again.  Before you leave, click on the pink ribbon.  It's a good thing.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Fairy Annika

Are you ready for another recipe from Katie?  It seems a lot longer than two weeks to me.  I guess it's all relative.  This week's recipe is the color blue, bows and buttons.  Now how easy is that.  For me it's easy peasy.  I just happened to have some lovely blue paper on hand and even better was the fact that it matched this yummy wide ribbon.  My stamping buddy Michele (the Enchanted Stamper or Delfinaus on SCS) just happens to sell May Ribbons and I got it from her.  So if you don't have a source for May's ribbons or you're a ribbon junkie (nah, who would be wild over ribbon?) go visit her blog and leave her a comment if you're looking to buy some, I'm sure she'll get back to you.  But I digress... 
This week we're using digital images from Fairy Knoll.  You can get the information on Fairy Knoll by visiting Katie's challenge blog.  Did you notice that the fairy's dress is paper pieced with the same paper that was used for the card base.  If you're new to digital images you may not have realized that you can paper piece with them.  It's just a little different than when you're stamping them.   First you print the image that will be your base.  The you can either print it again on any old piece of paper or you can guesstimate where the part you will be piecing lies.  I guesstimated.  Then cut a piece of the dotted paper and attached it to where the dress would be printed on throw away paper.  If you're unsure at all, print the image on that paper and be sure that the paper you're going to piece with completely covers that space.  Attach a small part of the paper for piecing onto the throw away paper and then print the image onto it.  Then all you have to do is cut it out as usual and glue it as usual.  I hope those directions were a little clearer than mud.   
I used that yummy ribbon to make my buttoney bow.  It's really hard to see even if you click to enlarge the photo it'll still be hard to see that there's a powder blue button attached to the bow with yellow and white twine.  There's a rhinestone on top of that and a butterfly charm hanging from the twine. 

Here's the deets:
Digi Image - Fairy Knoll "Annika"
Paper - Frances Meyer "small dots light blue"
Miscellaneous - May Ribbon, stickles on the dragon flies; Hero Arts - pearl heart; Stampin' Up Corner Punch; SU Markers and copics; glaze pens on the fairy wings; charm; button; Queen and Co. baby blue rhinestones

Here's the challenges:
Cooking It Up With Katie #22 - Blue, Bow and Buttons
Crazy For Challenges C4C46 - Buttons
Stamp Something - Something Digital

Thanks for visiting, I hope you'll come back again.  Don't forget to check out the Challenge at Cooking it Up With Katie and most importantly - click on the pink ribbon, you'll be helping to fund a mammogram for someone who isn't able to pay for it.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Make a Splash!

It's time for another Twisted Thursday Challenge at Shirley's 2 Girls.   The twist this week is "something water, wet or waves".   So get your favorite beach stamp or digi image out and join in the fun.  If you have a S2G image we'd love to see you use it but you can use any stamp.   Of course there's lots of new fun, wet and wild summer images for sale at the Shirley's 2 Girls shop.  So make a card or project for this week's challenge, then post it with Mr. Inlinkz at the S2G blog and that'll put you in the running for a chance to win 2 digi images and a blinkie for your sidebar (oooh, I just love those blinkies).
For my card I choose to use the digi Lighthouse image, you can find it in the Shirley's 2 Girls store by clicking here.  It reminds me of childhood vacations down the shore.  That's right "down the shore".  In Jersey we don't "go to the beach" we go down the shore.  Apparently this is a colloquialism peculiar to Jersey, or so I'm told.  Where are you from and what do you say?   Even if you're not on a coast you could live near a lake with a beach.  We have lakes that have beaches but I don't think anyone in NJ associates the word beach with lakes.   But I digress.

As I was saying I used the lighthouse digi image for my card.  AND how about some papers that are perfect for your summertime cards.  Shirley's 2 Girls has come up with some great digi paper to go along with all the great summer images.  Just look at that gorgeous paper with all those beautiful white swirls on that absolutely stunning blue background.  Well  that's just one of the ten patterns available in the "Summer Digital Paper" collection.  You get all ten patterns for a just a few dollars.  Once you download them to your computer they're yours forever.  The beauty part of the digi stamps and papers is that they stay stored in your computer (zip drive, or memory stick) forever and you can use them over and over whenever you want.   They won't take up any space in your craft room which leaves you plenty more room for embellishments, and you can always use some more embellishments, right? 

Do you love S2G?  I know that's a stupid question, you just have to love them.  So you want to stay informed on what's new with the girls.  Then sign up for the newsletter.  It's free and it's delivered right to your e-mail box and if for some reason (I can't imagine a reason, but let's just say there might be one) you don't want to get it any longer, then you can unsubscribe.  But why wouldn't you want to get the latest news  fresh of the press, when it's still hot, hot, hot.  Hey, guess what the name is.  Did you guess "Hot Flashes"?  no?  Me neither, but I like it alot.  Those gals just crack me up. 

About my card, here's the rest of the deets
Image - S2G digi Lighthouse
Paper - MFT Sno cone cs; S2G digi waves paper dp
Miscellaneous - Queen & Co. Pearls; cork; MFT jumbo scallops die-namics; May ribbon; TCP twine; button; cork; charm; copics; Glaze pens
Here's the challenges:
Shirley's 2 Girls - Something water, wet or waves
OCC - cork
Stamp Something - It's All About the Number 1 - 1 dp, 1 ribbon, 1 image
If the Shoe Fits FF#41 - Take a Vacay
Cute Card #120 - School's Out for Summer
For Fun Challenges - Whatever is your favorite method to color the image, no die cuts as the main image 

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

I Think He's Mr. Roboto

But he's just a "Love Machine".  He's an oldie but a goldie or in this case a bluey.  He's my choice of stamp for this week's My Favorite Things Wednesday Stamp Club Challenge which this week is a sketch.  I colored him up with copics ad sponged the edges of the dp with Ranger Weathered Wool.  I have some shiny papers that don't have any marking on them so I can't give you the name but I got them on line.  I think the name of the company is Sparkle and Shine.  Sorry if I'm wrong.  My brain isn't working too well right now.  I'm just a little stressed and probably will be for awhile.  Lots of changes in my life.  But I digress.
I punched out a couple cog shapes with a Tim Holz die.  I used cork, a red shiny paper and a silver shiny paper.  I like the way they look (remember, I'm easily amused and it's after midnight).  Really not too much else to say about this except the deets so here goes:
Stamp:  My Favorite Things "Love Machine"
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black; Ranger Weathered Wool
Paper:  MFT Red Hot cs; Cosmo Cricket Twist and Shout dp; red and silver shiny paper
Miscellaneous:  cork, Recollections Pearl Stickers; Tim Holz die; MFT rick rack die-namics; copics
Here's the challenges:
MFT Wednesday Stamp Club MFTWSC07072010 - sketch
Pile It On - A Holiday Twist - use holiday colors (red and silver) in a non holiday card
OCC - Let's Get Corky

Thanks for looking, I hope you'll come back again.  Before you leave please click on the pink ribbon in the sidebar.  It's a good thing.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Sprinkles is Celebrating

Congratulations to Sprinkles and all her whacky penguin friends.  The Cat's Pajamas has become a member company over on Splitcoast.  Congratulations Alma! So if  you can't get enough of all things TCP now you can head over to the Forum section at SCS and yak it up with the rest of us.  Believe it or not, I'm kind of shy, really.  I never would have believed that I'd be talking on line to people I never met and I certainly would not believe that I was going to be blogging.  If you think you'll never do this, well, here's the progression.  I started out with just looking at the galleries on SCS.  For ages all I did was look around.  Eventually I found out that if you open a card's file there's usually info there and that's where  I started reading about cards being for challenges.  Then I found the forums and stalked around for awhile, and eventually I got interested enough to start talking, the folks seemed neighborly enough.  While I was there I noticed blogs in signature lines and started visiting and hopping around.  Found lots more challenges and eventually realized that the easiest way to participate in most of them was to set up a blog.  That's how it happened.  Seems rather simple now but it took a few years for all that to come to pass, so if you think you can't do it, well, if  I can do it, you can do it.  If you think you won't do it, well, get out now while the getting's good.

This card is for the The Cat's Pajama challenge.  This week's hipster hostess with the mostess is Joanne and she does the color challenge.  This month it's to use use golden yellow, lime and raspberry.  It sounds yummy doesn't it, kind of like sherbet.  I combined it with Jen's A Sketch for You to Try and that made it almost easy peasy.  The hardest part was picking a stamp, they're all so stinking cute. 

Here's the deets:
Stamps - image The Cat's Pajamas "You Say It's Your Birthday"; sentiment The Cat's Pajamas  "Smells Like Cake"
Ink - Brilliance Graphite Black for the image; Memento Tuxedo Black for the sentiment; Ranger Shabby Shutters sponged on the white cs edge
Paper - SU Yo Yo Yellow  ad Rich Razzleberry cs; SU "Cottage Walls" striped dsp; SEI "Kitty's Place" dp
Miscellaneous - SU markers; Sulky variegated green thread; Nestibilities; Prima Flowers; Recollections mini brads (flower centers); yellow hot fix crystals (card corners); purple hot fix crystals (on yellow cs corners); Favorite Findings "Butterfly Wings" buttons (you have to clip off the shank, and it's much more purpley in real life)
Here's the challenges:
I {Heart} to Stamp - ASFYTT - sketch
The Cat's Pajamas - TCPTUES117 - colors:  golden yellow, lime and raspberry
L'il Red Wagon #36 - Nestibilities (but it's the flowers and crystals that have been languishing in my stash)
Rosie Dee's #74 - Summer Birthday

Thanks for visiting, I hope you'll come back again.  Please take a couple seconds and click on the pink ribbon, it's a good thing.

A Hundred Challenges!

The Color Throwdown posted their 100th challenge.  Yeah them!  They've been talking about it for a couple weeks, to get the excitement going.  Well, it turns out it is something to be excited about.  They've got a big blog hop with prizes at every stop going on.  And the prizes are great. The only reason I'm encouraging competition is because you can only win one of the prizes, so even though I'm a greedy little stinker and want to win them all, it's not possible, so crafters - go check it out.  Comment away and create.
This week's colors are yummy - Certainly Celery, Baja Breeze, Real Red and Regal Rose.   I thought they'd make a nice summery card so I grabbed a cute beach image, it's Mazie at the Beach from Shirley's 2 Girls and I had some fun coloring it.  I am in my own little heaven when I'm sitting around pulling papers and markers and glitters so I had a blast putting this card together.  I also pulled out some of my favorite embellishments for this one.  I love the beach border punch and this twine, I just love the twine and it's perfect for tying on charms (my favorite embellishment ever is charms) I used a flip flop charm this time, my buddy Maddy will have her eye on that.  Maddy would wear flip flops all year but this is New Jersey (can you say "brrr"?).  So the switch from flip flops to sneakers comes at Thanksgiving, unless it snows first.  The changeover can be traumatic, dramatic, or hysterical or any combination.  I'd tell you the story of a midnight run to Walmart for
sneakers but it's one of  those stories that's only funny if you were there.
Here's the deets:
Stamp - Shirley's 2 Girls "Mazie at the Beach"
Ink - Brilliance Graphite Black; Ranger Scattered Straw
Paper - Stampin' Up Certainly Celery and Baja Breeze cs; Me & My Big Ideas "Destination Paradise" dp, scrap of beige cs
Miscellaneous - Queen and Co pearl stickers; Hero Arts sparkle gems (flower on hat); flip flop charm; twine; stickles; copics and SU markers; EK Success "Dotted Wave" and "Beach" border punches
Here's the challenges:
The Color Throwdown #100 - Certainly Celery, Rose Red, Baja Breeze and Regal Rose
Crafty Ho - Fun in the Sun (hey girls, have fun at the reunion!)
If the Shoe Fits Fashionista Friday #41 - Take a Vacay
Simon Says - Photo Inspiratin - the Blue Lagoon (go check out the gorgeous photo)
Cute Card Thursday #100 - School's Out for Summer
Charisma Card Challenges Week 27 - Watch the Birdie (he's on the shovel in the pail)

Thanks for visiting, I hope you'll come back again.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Twisting Time Is Here

Does anyone else hear Chubby Checker singing in their ears?  Did I hear you say "Chubby who?", oh, go call you mother and ask her, she'll be glad you called.  Now onto the "Twist". 
Shirley's 2 Girls recently issued a Design Team call and I am so excited that they picked me to join them as a "Lady with Attitude".  People have been accusing me of having an attitude for years, it's finally paying off.  I hope you'll all come visit me and my twisted sisters every week to see what the ladies are up to.  I've been visiting their blogs for awhile and can tell you that you will love them all.  Over on my sidebar you'll find links to all their blogs. 
Do you want to play with us?  Well then WELCOME TO JULY SUMMERTIME FUN!  We've got a BRAND NEW format for the S2G challenges.  So are you ready for the fun?  Starting today the second Thursday of each  month will be a CONTEST week. That's right, it's TNT CONTEST TIME and it's going to be a BLAST!   And the contests have PRIZES!!!!  Yippee!!!!   Everybody loves prizes.  Wait till you hear (ok, read) this.  There's going to be one winner for every 20 entries (up to a maximum of eight prizes).  If you're one of the lucky winners you get your choice of a digi image from the store. 
So are you ready to play?  All you have to do is make a card or project using this sketch.  If you have a Shirley's 2 Girls stamp or digi image we'd love to see you use them but you don't have to use them.  If you want to get an S2G image you can pick up a digi stamp at the S2G store today for just a couple bucks and be playing with it in two shakes of a lamb's tail.   AND BELIEVE ME if I can do digi, you can do it.
Once you've got your card or project ready all you have to do is go to the challenge blog and leave a link to your card or project by using the INLIKZ widget.  If you post to a public gallery use the keyword S2GSC64.   The INLINKZ widget will close at Midnight PT on Wednesday, July 14 and the winners will be announced on Friday July 16.  So go have some fun and create something using the sketch.  It's all about having FUN.
I had fun covering one of the cigar boxes my buddy Pam gave me.  I think it turned out rather cute.  Can you guess what I'm doing with it?  I'm using it to store my acrylic S2G stamps, they're quite happy to have such a nice home.

Here's the deets:
Stamp - S2G digi image "Original Gracie"
Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black; the edges of the white card stock are sponged with Memento Angel Pink
Paper - White Georgia Pacific card stock; Melon Mambo Stampin' UP card stock; all other paper from Basic Grey June Bug
Miscellaneous - Pink Pearl stickers from Recollections; Queen & Co. white pearls; Martha Stewart double loop border and corner punch set; Ranger glossy accents on the lenses of her glasses; stickles on the glass' frames and the flower on the hat; white gel pen for polka dots on her dress (did you own and love to pieces at least one polka dot dress in your lifetime, seems all the women I work with did, we talk about this important matter every spring when the dots come out of storage, but I digress...); Spellbinder's nestibilities frame; red and white twine from the Cat's Pajamas; sunglasses charm from acharmingplace.com; there's a red and white striped ribbon around the sides of the box but you can't see it in the photo.
Here's the challenges:
Stampin'B #65 - Summer Vacation
Play Date Cafe #36 - color challenge pink, white and red (the challenge closed before my post)
Pile It On #26 - My favorite things (the charm - I love using charms)
Creative Belli Challenge #95 - Alter it
Thanks for visiting, I hope you'll come back again.  Please click on the pink ribbon before you leave, it helps fund mammograms.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Let's Get Cookin'

I am so excited.  I have such great news.  If you're a follower you probably know that I am getting ready to retire from my job.  You have no idea how many people told me I would be bored when I started talking about retirement.  While I'm kind of looking forward to boredom, I stumbled upon a few design team calls and realized that now would be the perfect time to apply.  I'm so glad to say that Katie from Cooking It Up With Katie took me up on my request to join her team.   So I'll be busy with DT duties.  I can't think of anything I'd rather be doing. So how's that for exciting news.

If you're not familiar with the Cooking It Up With Katie challenges they're 3 part recipes.  This week it's 1.) choose a sketch from another challenge (my sketch is from CCEE with the twist of 'beverage" - a cup of tea)  2.) add yellow and 3.) do stitching (faux or real). 
For my card I'm using the Meljen's digital image "Teacup Mouse".  This week Meljen's is sponsoring the challenge and offering a prize.  So if you think this is cute (and who wouldn't?) drop in on Katie's challenge and give it try.  Or you can find a link and go shopping for it. 

Besides following the recipe I spent some time distressing this card.  Sponging ink on the edges and roughing them up are two of my favorite things to do to a card.  Lately, I've become very fond of pearls and charms.  I've got lots of them on hand so you're likely to see lots more of both of them.

Here's the deets:
Stamp - Meljen's digi image "Teacup Mouse"
Ink - Ranger Scattered Straw for sponging
Paper - Stampin' Up turquoise card stock; October Afternoon "Thrift Shop" dp
Miscellaneous - Queen and Co pearl stickers; ribbon; turquoise fastenator staple; Cat's Pajama's twine; charm; Sulky thread; stickles
Here's the challenges:
Cooking It Up With Katie - recipe 1.) use a sketch from another challenge, 2.) add yellow, 3.) do stitching (real or faux)
CCEE 1026 - get sketchy with a twist (twist is the theme - beverages)
Pile It On Challenge #26 - My favorite things (I love to use charms! they're my favorite thing)

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you'll come back again.  Please click on the pink ribbon before you leave, it's a good thing.

Monday, July 5, 2010

Go Green

Once again it's time for the MFT Guest Designer Challenge.  I give it a try every month, who knows, maybe this month I'll be lucky.  The challenge is to use a neutral with red and/or blue.  I chose to use a kraft card base and I paper pieced the bags with it, seems to be the right choice for a bag.  Before I laid down the bag from the "New
Army" store I placed a tiny piece of tissue paper underneath it.  I love that idea, and if I could remember whose idea it was I'd give her credit.  My buddy Eileen set me a link to it awhile ago.  She faithfully comments on my cards, so maybe she'll remember who it is and give her credit in her comment.  Her outfit is paper pieced with dp from the Cosmo Cricket "Garden Variety" pad.  The rest of the image is colored with copics. 
For me this is a clean and simple card.  I know that some stampers wouldn't think so but by my standards it is.  There's no dimensionals popping up multiple layers, no bling unless you count the "credit card" charm as bling.  
Here's the deets:
stamp - My Favorite Things "WTG Goes Green"
ink - Brilliance graphite
paper - Cosmo Cricket Garden Variety dp, SU kraft cs
miscellaneous - charm, twine, SU corner punch, tissue paper
Here's the challenges:
My Favorite Things - July Guest Desiger
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Let's Go to the Beach

I don't know where the heck the idea to put a bathing suit on the monster came from, but it was in my head and it had to be made.  I tried to stop myself but it just wasn't happening.  So here she is, she looks pretty cute in her pink maillot.  I hope she has some sunscreen.
I made this card for the My Favorite Things Wednesday Stamp Club challenge to use three ribbons.  I was already feeling a little whacky from putting the monster in the swimsuit so when I was figuring out what to do with the ribbon I decided layering them would be too mundane so I for the hot pink ribbon I folded it and ran it through my sewing machine.  I cut a piece of cork with the rick rack die-namic and decided to bunch some green ribbon (it's just about the same shade of green as the monster) there and after I did that I thought it needed some pearls to dress it up so I just planted a couple here and there.  You probably can't even see them all in the photo but I know they're there.
 For my third ribbon I had a pink MFT button with big holes so I figured I'd put some ribbon there instead of thread and that's where I decided to hang my charm using the new twine from the Cat's Pajamas.  Lord only knows what came over me but at that point I decided I'd throw a little more of that orange ribbon on, so I bunched some of it on top of the hot pink ribbon.  By the way,  I love that hot pink ribbon, and if you do too and can't find it in the stores, well it's May's ribbon and I got it from Michele, the Enchanted Stamper, that's not what I call her that's her blog.  If you're interested in that or other fun ribbons leave her a comment or PM her at SCS she's Delfinaus.  But I digress...I've been doing that a lot lately...
In order to get the image on the card over the ribbon I had to prop it up on dimensionals, in fact it's on three layers of dimensionals.  I don't think the photo of the card front really shows that or srunchyness (I made that word up, and had to use it here - don't try it in Scrabble).  So I took a photo of the side of the card so you'd get an idea of the scrunchyness.
So here's the deets:
Stamp - My Favorite Things "Monsters Ink"
Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black; Ranger Spiced Marmalade
Paper - Stampin' up card stock; Me and My Big Ideas "Destination Paradise"
Miscellaneous - ribbons; MFT button; charm; Cat's Pajama's twine; Queen & Co pearl stickers; MFT die-namic rick rack; nestibilities; cork
Here's the challenges:
My Favorite Things Wednesday Stamp Club - Use three ribbons
Sketch Saturday Week 110 - the sketch
Paper Play Challenges Week 26 - Card for a child or teenager
The Shabby Tea Room - Week 16 - Inspiration photo of pinwheels in hot pink, turquoise and green
Stampin' B #65 - Summer Vacation - (yeah a monster vacation at the beach)
Crazy 4 Challenges - use 2 or more ribbons
Thanks for visiting, I hope you'll come back again. 

Friday, July 2, 2010

Happy Birthday Kim!!!





Happy Birthday Kim!  That's Kim from My Favorite Things
If you want a better view of any of the photos, clicking on them to enlarge them.



When Julie from her design team invited me to participate in this birthday blog hop I said yes immediately without even stopping to think about. 









There are 42 avid paper crafters sending birthday wishes, one for each of her years.  







You can hop over to Kim's blog where Jody has posted the list to start at the beginning or you can hop around as you see fit.  I've also included the list at the end of this post.






I wanted to make something special for Kim.  Something more than a card.









I decided upon a mini word scrapbook.  You can pick up these chipboard books up at most craft stores and scrapbook stores. 








There are several words available, like "family", "party" and "baby".  I've also seen people make and sell custom books at craft shows and scrap booking weekends.  You could have your child's name made up, or any word that has meaning for you.






For this book I wanted to showcase MFT products.  I love the colors and patterns of the MFT Spring Collection which I used for my palette.  It's cute and girly and so much fun. 







 I stamped a few Pure Innocence girls and used them to decorate some of the pages and I just went through my stash looking for whatever would properly dress up a page. 








When I make these books for my family and friends I usually include mats with little post it notes that say "mount your photo here" and sometimes I even include the photos.  Since Kim is a stamper and scrapper, and certainly will have paper that matches I haven't included any. 




Here's the list:
Here's a list of the deets, if you'd like more specific details on any particular page or item leave a comment and I'll get back to you via your blog or by a post in the comment section.
Stamps - My Favorite Things, Pure Innocence "4 Leaf Clover", "Lollipop", "Make Mine a Double"
Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black, VersaMark Pink Petunia, Pixie Dust, and Aloe Vera
Paper - card stock MFT Sweet Tooth, Banana Split, Pink Lemonade; Stampin' Up Certainly Celery; dp MFT Spring collection; Georgia Pacific card stock for the images
Miscellaneous - MFT rick rack and scallopey scallop die-namics;  Nellies Multi Frames oval die; Stampin' Up eyelet border punch; Hero Arts Sparkle Gems Flowers; ZVA crystal stickers; Queen & Co pearls; Heidi Swapp bling; Elements big pink brad; twine from the Cat's Pajamas; Creative Memories paper flowers; MFT spring collection buttons; Spellbinder's tag die; charms from acharmingplace.com; copics; stickles; glaze pen
Thanks you for visiting, I hope you'll come back again.  Please click the pink ribbon before you leave, it's good karma.
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