Pitter Patter

It's day four of Sneak Peaks of the My Favorite Things December release.  We're so close to the release (Wednesday, December 1 at 10 PM) you must be dying in anticipation.  But I am just a little sad because there will only be one more day and then I go back to be just a regular MFT junkie.  Being on the design team is just so much fun.  It's like being Cinderella at the ball.  If you want to find out what it's like you could win a spot on the team by entering the "Stitch It Up" challenge (details here).  You have till 10 PM EST to enter.
My heart skipped a beat when I saw this stamp.  I am still drooling over it.  I LOVE IT!!!  I know I've been saying I love every stamp I've used in the Sneak Peeks and the fact is that I do love them all.  But I love this one best, just don't tell the others, it would break their little hearts. 

I'm gonna tell you why I love her best.  it's because she reminds me of my daughter Liddy.  Liddy is 16 but she still wears those hats with ear flaps (and we live in sunny Florida).  She travels to beat of a different drummer and I bet little miss heartfelt is marching to her own beat too.  "Heartfelt" is one whacky little girl (and I mean that in the most affectionate way possible).  She lives "outside the box" and doesn't care if you like what she's wearing.  She's probably got a bathing suit on under that coat.  Because she's nontraditional she's not going to make a pink heart for Valentine's Day.  Her favorite color is purple and she's making her hearts that color.   She's out there defying gravity.  So isn't the Basic Grey "Sugar Rush" the perfect paper for this card, I love that the hearts are shades of orange, green and purple.   All the colored papers with the exception of the card base are from that pack.  The image was stamped on the Blending Card by X-press It paper and colored with copics.  Did you spot the new die-namics "Dainty Dots".  It's so versatile.  I punched it out and then put it on 3 thin panels behind my image.  That was quick and easy and looks like a million bucks.  You could dress the dots up by putting some bling in the centers, or you could weave a ribbon or baker's twine through them.  I used MFT hot fix crystals on the nesties so I left the dots naked.  What you may not be able to see is that the dot panels are raised up on dimensionals, the nesties are also raised up and lastly Heartfelt is cut out and popped up on dimensionals. 
There are two other stamps being showcased today.  If it's after 11 AM you can pop over to Kim's blog for links to all the DT's blogs.  You should leave some love because there will be prizes for two people who leave comments. 

So here's the deets:

stamp - My Favorite Things "Heartfelt"

ink - Memento Tuxedo Black

paper - MFT Blending Card by X-press It for image; Basic Grey Sugar Rush everything else

miscellaneous - copics, nestibilities, MFT hot fix crystals, MFT die-namics dainty dots; Stampin' Up corner punch

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you'll come back again.  Oh, by the way, did you think I was kidding about my daughter and the hat?  Here she us in one of her Elmer Fudd hats.  And no it wasn't taken last winter, it was taken last month!  She is one whacky kid.

Pure Innocence Sneaky Peeks

Let's hear it for the boys! I tend to ignore the boys in my card making. That's kind of sad because I have a husband, a grandson, two step sons, a brother, an uncle, men friends. You get the picture don't ya? Unless you're an orphaned cloistered nun (in which case what the heck brings you here?) you probably have a world populated by similar men folk. But I bet if you go through your stash it is sadly low on cards you can give to a guy. So I am always thrilled to see a fun image for a guy card. I think that should be my New Year's resolution, make more guy cards, forget about the diet, at least with card making I've got a fighting chance of success. But I digress...



It's day three of the sneak peeks and this brings us to one of My Favorite Things in the whole stamping world - Pure Innocence. I love Pure Innocence stamps. (yeah, I know, I love just about everything - and I've discovered if I don't love it now I will probably love it eventually). But Pure Innocence is a heart string tugger. She and he have got me every time. There isn't a release that goes by that I don't sit waiting to see what PI looks like and they are always the first thing into my cart.


Today I'm debuting "Splish Splash" and "Hello Cupcake" but you have got to see "Sending a Box of Chocolates and "Love You With All My Heart". If you click here for Kim blog after 11 AM she'll have links to all the designers that are showcasing PI, that way you can see them all, and they'll be done to the nines. I've been checking and I have been left agog by what the design team has done.


Every month MFT posts a challenge on the Saturday before the new release (that's the first Saturday of the month). A lucky crafter wins the next release and gets to be the guest design team member for the next month. That's a whopper of a prize. This month the challenge is to Stitch it Up". You can find all the details here. As a member of the guest design team I not eligible to win but I can still play so I got my trusty old embroidery floss out and did a little stitching on this card. You may want to click on the card to see a larger image of it. I made French knots around the edges of the image and the sentiment. I also sewed the buttons onto felt. Easy Peasy. You don't have to have a sewing machine or even floss. You can faux stitch on your creation. So get you fingers moving and play along. You have till Tuesday at 10PM to link up your creation. Just think of how excited you'll be if you win. I can guarantee that if you are a Guest DT for MFT you will be excited.

How about a project for my next peek. It's a gift in a jar with a matching recipe card. The recipe is for a dozen Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes. Perfect stamp for this recipe. PI is stamped on a MFT Perfect Panel,paper pieced and colored, punched out with a nestie, adhered to a mat punched with a larger nestie. Punch a slot, add a ribbon and a flower and you've got a great adornment for the jar. Mask off PI's arm and stamp the cupcake on a MFT Perfect Panel, cut it out and pop it up and it'll look adorable on the recipe card. By the way, PI doesn't come wearing socks but I like to add them, all you need to do is use a permanent ink pen like a fine point Sharpie and draw 2 slightly curved lines around her ankles with a few straight lines going in the opposite direction. If you're going to color over the sock lines try it on a scrap of the same card stock first. I'd hate to see you ruin your image doing something that should be simple, easy and fun. Here's another tip, if you cut out a square of material to cover the jar lid, put an elastic band around it before you try to tie the ribbon around it.


Don't forget the release party will be on the Splitcoast forum on Wednesday December 1 at 8 PM. Following the party the goodies will be on sale. (Take deep breaths, it's only a couple more days - I know, I know, there's a few things on my list already and Wednesday seems like a long time away). Everything will be available here on the MFT site.

Here's the deets for the card:

Stamp - My Favorite Things Pure Innocence "Splish Splash"

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper - MFT blending paper for image and sentiment; K & Co "Itsy Bitsy" pad for dp; SU card stock

Miscellaneous - DMC floss, charm, felt, MFT buttons, nestibilities, Ranger glossy accents on puddle, copics



Here's the challenges for Splish Splash:

Jen Del Muro's A Sketch for You to Try - sketch (great layout to use)
MFT December Guest Designer challenge - Stitch It Upmpin' - Buttons and Bows

Here's the deets for the jar

Stamp - MFT PI "Hello Cupcake"

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper - MFT perfect panel for image; DCWV card stock; Georgia Pacfic cs for recipe

Miscellaneous - stickles, ribbon, SU slot punch, copics, nestibilities, Prisma flowers and brad



Here's the challenges for the jar:

Creative Belli #105 - R's (ribbon)

For Fun - Anything Goes

Our Creative Corner - Tag You're It
My Time to Craft #116 - Tag Along


Don't forget, stop by the My Favorite Things blog for links to see the rest of the sneaky peeks. Leave some love when you visit. Then join the fun on Wednesday, party and shop - what more could a girl ask for.

Cheers!

 Are you ready for the New Year?  I'm ready for the New Year, it's all that stuff in between that I haven't done anything about.  Even if we're not ready these gals are ready to party.  They're My Favorite Things Flapper Doodles "Cheers to a New Year" and they'll be released on Wednesday.  You're just gonna have to wait a couple more days.
Not everyone I know celebrates Christmas but New Year's is something that everyone I know does.  So this is a great stamp to have in your stash, not only because you can use it for just about anybody but also because it works up fast.  In fact this card came together so fast I decided to finish the inside.  That and the card base is dark. 

For the inside I used the martini paper and some of the card stock for trimmin it up the top and then stamping a light partial image in the bottom corner.   Stamped the sentiment and leaft some room for a personal message and there it is.  A quick and easy holiday card.

Who's your favorite bunny?  FLOPSEY!!!! of course.  There was a time when I was jaded and didn't care what the Flopster was up to but now I am giddy as a school girl when I see Flopsey and can't wait to find out what his new activity will be.  He is such a talented and versatile bunny.  This month he's figure skating and he comes with three sentiments.  I've stamped  "thinking of you" on the ice then covered it with Ranger's Glossy Accents.  Some stickles here and there, a little bling and Voila! another holiday card.  At this rate I may be ready by Spring. 

Don't forget to check out Kim's My Favorite Things blog to see the rest of the design team's work and of course you have to join us on Wednesday for the release party on Splitcoast.  Need I mention shopping will commence as the party ends.

Here's the deets for Cheers:
Stamp - MFT Flapper Doodles "Cheers to a New Year"
Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black; Ranger Antique Linen sponged around edges and for image on inside
Paper - Georgia Pacific white card stock; SU Garden Green cs for mats and card base; Imaginations "Martini Toss" dp
Miscellaneous - ribbon, copics, MFT button, charm, twine, scalloped scallop die-namics; nestibilities; Crystazzi bling

Here's the deets for Flopsey:
Stamp -  My Favorite Things "Ice Skating Flopsey"
Paper - MFT Perfect Panel for stamp; Imaginisce dp
Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black, Ranger Weathered Wood sponged around edges of the dp
Miscellaneous - My Favorite Things ribbon and button (what can I say, Kim has it all and it's good), charm,  Memory Box snowflake bling, turquoise bling, copics, stickles nestibilities


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

You Give Me Wings

I can finally let the cat out of the bag.  Kim, the owner of My Favorite Things stamp company asked me to be one of her guest design team members for the December release.  So about a month ago you might have heard a high pitched scream, or maybe you were wondering why your dog was whining and chasing his tail, or your cat was acting weird, never mind cats being weird is normal but if your world seemed a little off, it may have been my scream or the jumping up and down happy dance that followed the scream.  I was thrilled to be asked because I love MFT stamps and of course I said 'YES, YES, YES!" 




This little girl fairy just about knocked me over when I saw her.  Isn't she just one of the cutest things you've ever seen?  She's the newest Tweeny "You Give Me Wings".  I made a set of note cards with this set.  There are two of each of these cards and they'll make a great little present.  My friend Pam fell in love with the Crate Paper "Restoration Collection" dp  and she gave me a pad so I used it to make these cards.  Because of her blouse I used the polka dots paper as my starting point and everything else just fell into place right down to the little "handmade charm" which is part of a buttoney, flowery twiney bow.  Remember when they were just buttoney bows?   

When you're finished here you should hop over here (Kim's blog) for links to all the other design team members.  I know they are anxious to show off what they've been working on.  Stop by and leave them some love.  And of course, you should know that the stamp sets we're using will be available on Wednesday.  We'll be partying over on the Splitcoast MFT forum and at 10:00 EST the shopping will commence.

So here's the deets"
Stamp - My Favorite Things, Tweeny "You Give Me Wings"
Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black for image; Ranger Scatter Straw for sponging
Paper - MFT perfect panel for image; Crate Paper "Restoration Collection" dp; Stampin' Up Kraft cs for base, Certainly Celery for mats
Miscellaneous -  ribbon, button, MFT scalloped scallop die-namics, nestibilities, Prisma flowers, charm, yellow bling; Pebbles Sun Yellow candy dots, TCP baker's twine; glimmer dust; stickles; copics; dimensionals

Here's the challenges:
Charisma Cards #47 - One for the Girls
Belli Challenge #105 - R's (embellishments beginning with "R") ribbon and rhinestones
For Fun - Anything Goes
Paper Cutz #69 - Anything Goes

Thanks for visiting, I hope you come back again. 

Happy Turkey Day to You!

Gobble! Gobble! Gobble!  (thank goodness for spell check, I had typed gooble 3 times) yeah, I know, I'm very juvenile. Be glad you only have to read this cause if you phone me today that's how I'll be answering your call. Yeah, I'm pathetic, that and easily amused.

Well, if you're taking time off from kitchen duties, looking away from the game or the parade then welcome to my blog. I'm busy with kitchen duties but I hope I can see some of the Macy's parade. I love the balloons and the Rockettes usually make an appearance. I'm not sure if it's broadcast here in Florida, I do hope it is.

Turkey day is always on a Thursday and if it's Thursday I must be twisted, I mean it must be twisted. This week Shirley's 2 Girls isn't hosting a challenge but the design team have made cards or projects and we're doing "show and tell". We're telling why we're grateful. How long do you have? I have so much to be grateful for, and if you're sitting at a computer you probably do too. I will be fortunate to have my family here for a "Thanksgiving dinner that couldn't be beat" (thanks to Arlo for those memories), I am loved by family and friends. I live in a beautiful home which is warm in the winter and cool in the summer. I have a healthy child. I live in a country where I (a woman) can be a homemaker or I can work, a country where I can worship as I choose, a country where I can vote and voice my opinion. I am thankful for all of those things and I am thankful that you all take the time to visit my blog and leave such encouraging feedback.

I wish you all the best and that your blessings multiply like rabbits.

The image on this card is called "Sorry". But it's versatile because it comes with two thanks sentiments as well as a sorry sentiment. Leave the sentiments off and it's an anything card. If you want to shop on Black Friday but don't like the crowds you can drop into the S2G store and pick up this image or maybe some holiday images. And even though we don't have a challenge this week the design team made some eye candy for you to enjoy so hop over to the blog and check it out.

Here's the deets:

Stamp - Shirley's 2 Girls digi "Sorry"

Ink - HP printer

Paper - Georgia Pacific cs for image; Lasting Impressions dp

Miscellaneous - the Cat's Pajamas felt, MFT rose die-namics, SU Pretties pearls in rose centers; Queen and Co pearl stickers on scalloped edges

Here's the challenges:

Get Sketchy #65 - find inspiration from something around the house (that's my naughty boy cat Shamus)

Just Us Girls #60 - Dark Red, Black, White and Yellow
Papertake Weekly - Cut It Out
For Fun Challenges - Anything Goes
Creative Belli Challenge #105 - R's (embellishments starting with the letter "r" - roses)
Fab 'n Funky #50 - Go With the Flow

Thanks for visiting.  Before you leave, click on the pink ribbon, it funds mammograms.

Pixie Dust

Someone sprinkled a little Pixie Dust my way.  This week the sponsor for the Cooking It Up with Katie challenge
is Pixie Dust and this is one of their images.  They have some very cute designs so you need to play in this week's challenge for a chance to win a Pixie Dust prize.  Katie's recipe this week is Angelic/Holiday, rhinestones and paint.  You can use puff paint and it only needs to be an accent.  If you're making cards for your holiday you can knock another one off with this challenge.  You can see what the rest of the design team made and you can link your card HERE.
For my card I used Stampin' Up watercolors.  To go with the vintage look of the paper  I dirtied it up the image with some Ranger ink and ripped up the edges of the papers.  Throw on a couple rhinestones and a some stickles and that's it!

Here's the deets:
stamp - Pixie Dust digital image
ink - HP printer for image; Ranger Tea Dye and Bundled Sage sponged around and over image
paper - Georgia Pacific cs for image; Cosmo Cricket "Be Good" paper crafting kit for dp and sentiment
miscellaneous - unknown bling, stickles; Stampin' Up watercolors

Here's the challenges:
Cooking It Up with Katie - Angelic/Holiday; Rhinestones; Paint
Really Reasonable Ribbon  #12 - CChristmas theme
Stampin' for the Weekend #51 - Winter

Sheepish

This week's the Cat's Pajama challenge is an inspiration photo of a chair.  The fabric on the chair made me think of these papers.  BUT I got to thinking when I was coloring Miss Ewe that in this particular stamping she is an older ewe and she's a bit ornery and she's going to wear purple, that's right purple, whether it matches or not. 

How do you like that sheep button?  I've been hoarding that sucker for a long time, it was one of those things I had no use for but had to buy anyway.  When I saw this stamp I knew I'd found the perfect image to use with the button.  I bet it wouldn't surprise you to knew that I'd buy a belt and then build an outfit around it.  If I had a million dollars (can you hear the bare naked ladies?) I'd probably buy a chair and then build the house to go with it.  But what this means is that if you see a scrappy item that you really like but don't have a use for, well, pick it up anyway, eventually the project will present itself (for all of you that I've just enabled, well you're welcome and don't give your husband my name).

Because it was so much work to do, I must direct your attention to the bakery twine that been woven around the lower rectangle.  You can barely see it, the snowflake covers a big section, the image and other panel cover more of it.  I used the green and white twist, maybe if I had used the red and white or the black and white it would have stood out more.  The hole punch I used is just about the same size as the twine so it was difficult getting it thru the holes.  So if you should decide to use the twine this way I recommend that you do a test run and see how it works for you.  I tested the twine thru one hole on a scrap and it wasn't so bad.  I should have tried it thru a few more, and I should have done it over the same paper not the scrap I used.  AND it doesn't look bad at all, it just doesn't show.

Here's the deets:

Stamp - The Cat's Pajamas "Sheepish"

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black; edges sponged with Ranger Walnut Stain

Paper - MFT Perfect Panel for image and sentiment; Nicole brown cs; My Mind's Eye "Winter Wonderland" dp pad

Miscellaneous - MFT crystals, button, felt snowflakes, the Cat's Pajamas bakery twine; nestibilities;

Here's the challenges:

The Cat's Pajamas - Inspiration photo of chair

A Sketch for You to Try - sketch

2 Sisters #14 - Snowflakes

Paper Cutz #68 - Christmas with lots of Bling

Really Reasonable Ribbon #12 -  Christmas Theme

Stampin' For the Weekend #51 - Winter

CCEE 1046 - use

Paper Play week 46 - Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

Stampin' B #85 - Snowflakes
Bah Humbug #45 - Lovely in Lilac (and isn't Miss Ewe delightful in her scarf!)

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

Flurry of Love

This week the MFT Wednesday Stamp Club challenge is to be inspired by the lyrics of "My Favorite Things" from the Sound of Music.  Is there anybody who hasn't seen the movie with Julie Andrews and if you saw it could you possibly not love that song.  I doubt it! 

I was likely enough to see this as a Broadway musical in NYC, it was the first show I ever saw.  I was about 8 years old and my father took the entire family and I remember that I didn't want to go.  I didn't want to get all dressed up (everyone dressed up to go to the theatre in those days) and have to be on my best behavior.  It seemed like it would be worse than going to school.  So all five of us piled into the theatre and us three kids did our damnedest not to fidget while we waited for it to start.  But when that orchestra started the overture I was mesmerized and remained enthralled for the entire show.  There is nothing that can compare to sound of a live orchestra.  Needless to say I was hooked.  If I could go to a musical every night of the week I would.  But I digress...

This card was made with the lyric "snowflakes that stick on my nose and eyelashes" in mind however I hope that I have seen the last of snowflakes that stuck to anything of mine. 

The stamping and card construction is pretty much what you see is what I did.  What you might not pick up on is that the image is stamped on a cream (MFT) perfect panel with Memento "Rich Cocoa".

Here's the deets:

stamp - My Favorite Things - Pure Innocence "Flurry of Love"
ink - Memento "Rich Cocoa"
paper - MFT cream perfect panel for the image; scrap cs for mats; Imaginisce, Polar Expressions - Twinkle Toes and Polar Expressions - Frosted Forest dp
miscellaneous - Making Memories Epoxy "Hullabaloo" button; snowflake charm; the Cat's Pajama twine; liquid pearls; MFT ribbon; nestibilities; stickles

Here's the challenges:
My Favorite Things Wednesday Stamp Club - lyrics from "My Favorite Things"
Stampin' for the Weekend #51 - Winter
Really Reasonable Ribbon #12 - Christmas Theme
Embellishment Magazine - colors red, green, pink and brown
Daring Cardmakers - We Three... (triple panel in the layout)
Tuesday Throwdown #26 - Buttons and Bows
Fresh Brewed Challenges FBC#23 - Show Off Your Style (distressing edges and hanging charms are my two favorite things to do)
Delightful Challenges - Baby It's Cold Outside
Paperplay Week 46 - Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
Stampin' B #85 - use snowflakes
Cute Card Thursday #139 - sketch (great sketch to use!)
Play Date Cafe PDCC56 - red, olive and turquoise
CCEE 1046 - use buttons
Going Grey - Song Inspired (My Favorite Things)
Crazy for Challenges C4C63 - make a Christmas card
Creative Inspirations #47 - Anything Christmassy/Winter
2 Sisters - Christmas
Pile It On #45 - Holiday with Family and Friends
Sweet Stampin' -  Snowflakes
City Crafter CCCB week 31 - Little Children

Thanks for visiting,  I hope you'll come back again.  If you've got a second to spare please click on the pink ribbon in the sidebar before you leave.

The Twist is Leaves

It seems like time is just flying.  I cannot believe it's Thursday already and that in a week it'll be Turkey day.  WOW!   As many of you know I have recently moved to Florida from New Jersey.  Well it still feels like summer to me, at the moment it's 79 degrees outside.   The usual clues that fall is here have not occurred.  I see the decorations in the stores and I know it's November but it doesn't feel like Autumn.  Not that I'm complaining, in fact I'm loving the warm weather and I'm happy to have to adjust.  But I digress... 
As I was saying it's already Thursday, and that means it's time for another Twisted Thursday Challenge from Shirley's 2 Girls.  This month the theme is 'Thanks" and this week the twist is to use leaves. 
I choose to use the "Salute" digi image.  It just struck a chord with me when I saw it and I wanted to make a card with it. If you'd like to get this image you can find it and all their images in the S2G shop.     
For the layout I choose the sketch on the Corrosive Challenge blog,  (psst, don't tell anyone but S2G is currently sponsoring the challenge on the Corrosive blog so there's another chance to win a S2G digi). 
I was going to put sparkles on the stars but when you make cards that can be going over seas to our service people you cannot use glitter.  You know how glitter gets on everything, well it'll be sticking to the card's recipient.  The glitter is visible with night vision equipment so it's a no no.  To keep it masculine I've kept the embellishments to a minimum.  I couldn't resist putting one of my leaf brads on it, it's the twist! and it's really cute.  But without any embellishments it looked really sad so I added sponging to the edges of the dp.
Also you can probably tell this was not colored with copics.  That's because I choose to make the image small which meant the stars would be difficult to work around with a copic.  This was done with Prismacolor pencils, a different look but one I like.
Now it's time for you to get cracking.  You can get some more inspiration from the rest of the design team and you can link up your creation at the S2G blog.  Who knows, you could be the winner.  How cool would that be?
,
Here's the deets:
stamp - Shirley's 2 Girls "Salute" digi image
ink - HP printer; Ranger "Peeled Paint" pounced on dp edges
paper - the dp is from an old package of assorted holiday papers, I think it was Wal-Mart but might have been from AC Moore; Georgia Pacific cs for the image; various scraps for the mats
miscellaneous - recollection leaf brad; Prismacolor pencils; stencil brush

Here's the challenges:
Shirley's 2 Girls - theme "thanks", twist "leaves
For Fun Challenges- Turkey Day Everyday - Be thankful
Papertake Weekly - Autumn Skies
Creative Card Crew - Let's Give Thanks
The Crazy Challenge #41 - Thank You or Thanksgiving
Corrosive Challenge #90 - Sketch
Crafty Ho's - Color Challenge - fall colors

Thanks for visiting, please come back again.

What's Cooking

Change, ugh, it's a blessing and a curse.  The blessing for me is my Scrapbox.  I no longer need to work on my kitchen table, with my papers, tools and embellishments scattered all over the house.  You can imagine how crazy that could be.  The box was delivered on Friday.  I've been moving items into it since then.  Today was my first day working in it.  So it was a little challengingg adjusting to it.  It's going to take some time to get used to it but for the most part I like it. 

This card was made for the MFT Wednesday Stamp Club challenge "Cooking Up Some Love".  The image is an MFT a la mode "What's Cooking".  The sketch is Jen del Muro's a Sketch for You To Try. 

I tried using a MFT die-namic to make the rose.  I've been trying to make paper and felt flowers for a long time and up till now haven't liked any of them enough to put them on a project.  In fact I have a box of paper flowers I just don't know how what I think of them.  I'm just not very good with flowers.  I love how they look on other people's cards but when I use them they usually look like a four year asked me to add it to my card and I did it to make the kid smile. Just a sad, sad thing. 

Here's the deets:
Stamp - My Favorite Things a la mode "What's Cooking"
Ink - Memento Rich Cocoa
Paper - Basic Grey "Nook and Pantry dp"; DCWV green cs; kraft cs base
Miscellaneous - MFT die-namics flower and scalloped border; Cat's Pajama felt; Nellies oval die; Cat's Pajama twine; copics, sulky green thread; Queen and Co pearls; cake charm

Here's the challenges:
MFT Wednesday Stamp Club -  Cooking Up Some Love
A Sketch for You to Try - sketch
My Time to Craft -  #114 Rhapsody of Roses
Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes

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

A Fixer Upper

                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Did you visit here last week for the Shirley's 2 Girls blog hop?  Guess what?  This was one of the stops with a prize.  So if you left a comment saying why you are thankful your name was put in a bowl and a winner was drawn. DQ, you're the winner.  DQ was grateful for friends, family and all of God's blessings.  DQ wins her pick of the new "Thanks" digis.  The other blogs with a prize were Wendy, Laurel and Mae.  You can check to see who won the prizes on their blogs and for the grand prize you should check out the S2G blog. Onto the new...

Ugh!  Can you believe I purchased this butt ugly pumpkin,   Even on sale, it's pretty awful.  But I needed a pumpkin.  Why?  Because at Shirley's 2 Girls challenge blog the twist this week is "pumpkin".

I chose to use the "Giblets 2" images for this week.  I colored up a couple dozen of them, cut them out and glued them to mints, with the idea that I'd use them like table confetti on Thanksgiving.  They look so cute and after I had them all finished I realized that I didn't know what the twist was.  OOPS!   No way to incorporate a pumpkin into a mint.  But an idea came to me.  Since I was making something for the table why not make a centerpiece with the Giblets in a pumpkin.  Years ago Liddy and I made a gorgeous centerpiece using a real pumpkin and real flowers BUT that was BC (before cats).  Flowers no longer visit my home.  And it's way too early to cut open a real pumpkin for a Thanksgiving centerpiece, but if you're going to make a similar centerpiece you should probably get the artwork done now. 

Because I was making several of each image and didn't know if I'd get it all done in one sitting I made thumbnail sketches of each giblet and made notes on them of what colors I used.  This turned out to be a good idea because I did color them over a couple days and by the second day I had no idea which colors I used on any of them.  It'll look more interesting if you make the giblets in a variety of sizes, a nice benefit of using digital images.  Depending on how OCD you are, (I'm going to assume you are at least as OCD as I am) before you cut them out you will want to adhere them to card stock so they have a finished back side.  That'll also make them more stable. 

I couldn't resist doing a trial run, cause I'm basically nuts and/or easily amused and I wanted to see how things would look on Thanksgiving.  That is if I can keep the mints out of sight and out of mind and out of mouths.  I've had to move the flower arrangement to the lanai.  Turns out that Shamus is as attracted to silk flowers as he is to real flowers and he was caught on the table with his face in the arrangement.  I tell you he is a very bold and naughty boy.   I'm thinking of making a Christmas centerpiece using cacti, cacti with big needles,  as the focal point.  Not sure which digi to use.  I'll get back to you on how that goes,

Now it's time for you to whip up something and a pumpkin with it.  you don't have to use S2G images to play in the challenge but if you got 'em smoke 'em, er, I mean, if you've got them why not use them and if you don't have any but would like to get some just hop on over to the S2G store and do some shopping.  Don't forget to link up your creation in the appropriate spot on the challenge blog.  We love to see what you make and maybe you'll be the winner of a S2G digi.

Here's the deets:

Stamp - S2G digi "Giblets 2"

Ink - HP printer

Paper - Georgia Pacific cs for the images; scraps for the backs

Miscellaneous - stickles, copics, dowels

Here's the challenges:
S2G - A Month of Thanks - twist is pumpkins
Quixotic Paperie - What No Square or Rectangle?
The Crazy Challenge CCH#40 - Things With Wings (the turkey has wings - yum, I love turkey wings)
ABC Challenges - H is for Holiday

Thanks for visiting, I hope you'll come back again.  Please click on the pink ribbon before you leave.

Tag You're It

Make a tag, how easy is that? Pretty easy for most crafters but not easy for me, I cringe when I see a challenge to make a tag.  And I rarely use sentiments on my cards.  Guess what, this week Katie's (that's Cooking It Up With Katie challenge) recipe includes a tag and a sentiment.  It's use food/beverage, a tag and a sentiment. 

This week the challenge is being sponsored by Robyn's Fetish and she supplied this image so at least the food part was easy.  I like to hang things off my cards, mostly little tags and charms so I decided to make a hanging "thanks" tag and knocked off the other two parts of the recipe.  Hey, it really was easy.  As I was coloring the image the idea came to me that this would be a nice image to have on a bottle tag.  With Thanksgiving coming it's likely that you may be bringing a bottle of cider to a dinner and having a little tag to hang off of it would make it a very special gift.  If you're hosting a buffet and serving cider it would be nice to put the cider in a carafe and hang a tag like this on it.
So it turns out I can make a tag, even if I'm not comfortable doing it. So if I can do it, you can do it.  Make you project with the recipe and link it up on Katie blog (here).  Maybe you'll win a prize.


Here's the deets:
Stamp - Robyn's Fetish digital image
Ink - HP printer
Paper - Georgia Pacific cs for image; unknown cs for mats; Me and My big Ideas dp
Miscellaneous - Queen and Co yellow rhinestones; round corner punch; SU tag punches; ribbon; apple charm; linen twine; copics

Here's the challenges:
Cooking It Up With Katie recipe - Food/Beverage, tag and sentiment
City Crafter Week 30 - Thank You !!!
Our Creative Corner - An Attitude of Gratitude

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

This Makes Two - woohoo!

That's right - two.  I've made two Christmas cards.  At this rate I'll be finished in about five years. 

It's Tuesday, that the day the Cat's Pajamas post a new challenge.  When I saw today's sketch this card basically made itself.  I had wanted to ink up this stamp which the divine and lovely Miss Alma gifted me (big thanks to Alma) and this sketch gave me the inspiration to get cooking. 

The stamp and sketch were picked and everything else fell into place.  I love this My Mind's Eye paper.  I had picked up several sheets of this paper and then I found the "Winter Wonderland" pad which includes this paper and many other adorable and co-ordinating papers.  One of the things that I love about this paper is the colors, I used this color palette when I pulled my copic markers for coloring the image.

I don't know why but distressing the paper edges seemed like the right thing to do, in hing sight I think I would have preferred stitching, looks like another card will have to be made...

For the inside I stamped a small portion of the image in Ranger Tattered Rose in the bottom corner and sponged the edges of the card stock with the same ink.  I used a nestie from the same set I used for the sentiment on the outside.  The green snowflakes were made when the snowflake border was punched for the front.  The big snowflake was made with one of the Spellbinder's snowflake sets.  The three layers are held together with a Stampin' Up brad, and some Glimmer dust was added to it.  The hat's brim was made with white liquid applique and Glimmer Dust.  Pearls were placed in the corners and of course there's a charm.  It's a little small and hard to see under all the twine but it's a cute  little snowflake. 

I hope you like that little snowflake because a friend sent me a bag full of them.  Looks like I'll be doing a lot of thinking about snowflakes.

So here's the deets:

Stamp - The Cat's Pajamas "Define Good"

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black, Ranger Tattered Rose

Paper - Warsau cs for card base and image mat; Georgia Pacific cs for inside and sentiment; MFT cs for image; Stampin' Up Certainly Celery cs for mat for stripey cs; MFT pink cs and Warsau cs for snowflake; My Mind's Eye "Winter Wonderland" pad dp

Miscellaneous - copics, nestibilities, Queen and Co. pearls, SU brad; the Cat's Pajamas baker's twine and linen thread; charm; liquid applique; Glimmer Dust

Here's the challenges:

the Cat's Pajamas #134 - sketch

Going Grey with Scrap Creation - Christmas

Raise the Bar #43 - Let's See Those Curves (around the sentiment and on the inside)

Paper Sundaes #43 - Let It Snow 

Crazy for Challenges C4C62 - Create a Square Card

Pile It On #44 - Furry Holiday Cards

Charisma Cardz #44 - With Love @ Christmas

Thanks for visiting, I hope you'll come back again.  Don't forget to click on the pink ribbon, breast cancer didn't go away when October finished.

Let's Give Thanks - Blog Hop

Hippity Hop, hippity hop. It's the Shirley's 2 Girls blog hop.  If you got here from Cat's blog you're in the right place.  If you just dropped by you should consider joining us, we've got lots of yummy stuff to see AND we've got prizes hidden at four stops along the way.  To win one of the prizes all you have to do is leave a comment saying why you're thankful.   The hop will run till November 7 so you've got a couple days to make all the stops.  When the hop is over the bloggers with the prizes will randomly pick a winner, so leave a comment at all the stops that way you'll have a chance for all four prizes. 

November is a month to reflect on why we're thankful.  I've got a lot of reasons to be grateful, first, that I can sit at a computer and communicate with you.  Second that Shirley's 2 Girls took a chance on me and picked me for their design team.  As for my life, I have been blessed from birth, I've never wanted for anything other than a friend or an idea.  Life is good.

One of the things were hopping to celebrate is the new images available at Shirley's 2 Girls.  I chose to use the "Merci" image and put it on a CD case which  I picked up at a scrapbooking weekend.  

If you're not interested in the how to you should skip this and the next paragraph,  To cover it I cut a piece of dp about 1/4" larger than the cover which is a 5" square. That would make the paper about 10-3/4"W (don't forget there's a space in the center) by 5-1/2"L.   I folded the edges down and clipped the corners.  Next I cut a piece of the striped dp large enough so that it would go over the middle and slide under the opening for the CD, about 6" W x 4-3/4"L, you may have to play with it to get it to fit correctly.  I measured the pocket and cut a piece of dp a 1/4" larger and then placed it over the pocket and folded it to fit.  Then for the left side where the CD is stored cut a piece of dp in a 4-3/4" square.  Punch a half circle in the middle of the right side.  On the cover I adhered the ribbon between the image and its mat and affixed it off kilter in the center.  I drew a squiggle with a gelly roll in the upper left and glued Taylor's Tiny Twinkles over it. Those gelly roll pens are very subtle so they don't show up well in phoyos but they are a nice touch.  For the flower I punched out several nesties, alternating light and dark dp, then punched one flower for the center and put a Stampin' Up brad thru them.

Lastly I made a card to insert in the pocket.  It's a 4-3/4" square mat with a 4-1/2" square of white cs for the message. That's where you can write your thank you note.  Maybe include a bit of info about what's on the CD.  I'm planning on burning some music onto a CD and giving this as a hostess gift.

Here's my tip. When you cut an image out with a die, especially when you use your largest nestie, you can make a faux mat by sponging around the edges. Don't take the image out of the die just sponge right over it. When you remove the die the edges of the paper will remain untouched and resemble a mat. Here's another tip, think of mistakes as reasons to embellish.  Lots of times something BAD happens after you've put a lot of time and work into a project.  But just about anything can be salvaged.  I give you this tip becasue after  this case was completed somehow a smudge got on the cuff in the image. It was obvious that it wasn't meant to be there and I wouldn't be able to give it away.  I dhould have photographed it just so you could see the before and after.  Well  I sat and looked at it for awhile and decided I could try covering the cuff with stickles, which worked out. If that didn't work I would have tried paper piecing over it.

The next stop on the hop is the fabulous Gina.  Don't forget to leave her some love and tell her why you're thankful.  Maybe you got some ideas for holiday presents or decorations, so finish the hop and stop at the Shriley's 2 Girls shop to pick up a couple images and get your holiday gifts started.  Also if you lose your way you can find a list of all the stops at the Shirley's 2 Girls challenge blog.

Here's the deets:

Image - Shirley's 2 Girls "Merci"

Ink - HP printer; Ranger "Pumice Stone" sponged around image

Paper - Georgia Pacific cs for image; SU "Certainly Celery" cs for mats; SU "Bella Bird" and "Bella Blue" dp;

Miscellaneous - Scalloped circle nesties; SU brad, twill ribbon; Taylor's Tiny Twinkles; stickles; gelly roll pen; SU corner punch on card; 3/4" circle punch

Here's the challenges:

Shriley's 2 Girls - the twist is "thanks"

SPCC #72 - Colors - Pretty in Pink, Daffodil Delight; Baja Breeze

City Crafter CCCB Week 29 - Get Your Digi On

Thanks for visiting, I hope you'll come back again.  Don't forget to leave a comment about why you're thankful.