Come Home Little Mojo

TGIF!  Since I am now at a stay at home lass it no longer signals the end to a work week but a great big hooray cause it's Stampin' For the Weekend time.  We've got the fun theme of "Holidays" for you.   You could make a scrapbook page showing off one of your holidays or any kind of project your little heart desires.  If you want you think of holidays more along the lines of Halloween, Christmas and Hannakuh you can do that too.  We just like you to play along.

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It's been an "off my game" kind of week for me.  Mojo took a hike to parts unknown and I haven't been at the work desk in several days.  Can you tell that I just trudged through this card.  It was a battle to get it finished.  Well sometimes that's how it goes, you just have to go through the motions and get things done, even if it isn't doesn't meet up to your expectations.  You just have to push forward and hope that you meet up with mojo somewhere along the line.  It's just like everything else in life.  Those of you who are mothers can appreciate that even if you're dog tired, and have no get and go you still have to get the kiddies off to school, and get a meal on table.  If you don't have kiddies but you have a job you know you just can't call in sick every time you don't feel like getting out of bed.  If you have a pet you have to care for it.  So with that in mind I will get to my desk today and stamp something that I'll be sure to share with you.

Here's the deets:

stamp - Shirley's 2 Girls "Mazie at the Beach"

ink - Memento Tuxedo Black

paper - Yikes, don't know the names of any of the papers, but I think I got all the dp at Joannes

miscellaneous - copics; ribbon, linen twine; shell charm; EK Success beach border punch; the Cat's Pajamas wave die cut; mini brads; sewing machine

Here's the challenges:

Stampin' For the Weekend - Holidays

Thanks for stopping by and listening to me moan and groan.  I hope you'll come back and that you'll find me in cheerier spirits.

Paws for Thought

This week's challenge at Stampin' for the Weekend is "Paws for Thought".  That immediately got me thinking about Shirley's 2 Girls stamps, many of them feature pets.  Around these parts it's not unusual at all to see a pooch in a purse.  This winter at a local tree lighting ceremony one couple attended with four greyhounds in tow, each and everyone of which was wearing elf attire.  While I have never dressed up my dogs, my daughter used to dress up our cat, the poor baby.  It cracked me up but it ticked off the cat.   But I digress...
For the SFTW challenge we want to see creatures with paws on your creations.  You can find all the fabulous samples the design team has made as well as the challenge rules and the linky thingy by clicking here.  Grab a cup of coffee or a Cosmo and check it out.





don't forget the inside


Here's the deets:
stamp - Shirley's 2 Girls "Baguette Accessory"
ink - Memento Tuxedo Black; Ranger "Walnut Stain"
paper - Bazzill "Glow" cs; SCWV  green cs; Neenah Classic Crest Natural White cs; K & Co "Life's Journey" dp
miscellaneous - copics; ZVA crystals; charm; twine; pink mesh ribbon; round punches

Here's the challenges:
Stampin' For the Weekend - Paws for Thoughts
A Sketch for You To Try - July Sketch

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you'll come back again.  In the meantime get busy making something for the Stampin' for the Weekend Paws for Thought challenge

A Fond Farewell

Did you stop by looking for the Twisted Thursday challenge?  If you did I'm sorry to say to tell that the girls have decided to end this phase of Shirley's 2 Girls.  I'm happy to report that they are moving onto the next step in their careers and this is a good thing for them. I am sorry that my time as a member of their design team has ended.  I had a great time "working" with these very talented and funny ladies but at least I can still visit them all on the internet. 

This card is my July 15, 2010 post for S2G.  It's one of favorites. 

Good luck girls!  I can't wait to see where you end up.

Getting My Mojo Out

Every Monday is Mojo Monday, there's a new sketch challenge posted and the first Monday of every month is contest Monday.   And this is the first Monday of the year so to start the year off I made sure I participated.
For my card I chose the Shirley's 2 Girls "Stork Delivery" stamp .  All of the dp is from the K & Co "Itsy Bitsy" pad.  To dress it up I used My Favorite Things die-namics and stickles.
Keeping up with my resolution for the inside I used  more of the Itsy Bitsy paper and a the Cat's Pajamas Cut UP with a portion of the S2G stamp in the lower corner. 


Here's the deets:
stamp - Shirley's 2 Girls "Stork Delivery"
ink - Memento Tuxedo black for outside image and sentiment; Ranger "Faded Jeans" on the inside
paper - K & Co "Itsy Bitsy" pad; unknown yellow cs for mats and sentiment banner; white cs Georgia Pacific for image and inside
miscellaneous - the Cat's Pajamas Cut Up "Icing"; My Favorite Things Dainty Doily, Dainty Doily border and Rolled Rose die-namic; Baby Safari buttons stickers; brads; stickles

Here's the challenges:
Mojo Monday 172 - sketch
Paper Sundaes  #50 - Something New
Pile It On #1 - Brand Spankin' New
Crazy #48 - All Things New

Thanks for visiting, I hope you come back again.

Happy Hippo New Year

Some of you will be seeing pink elephants but I tend to be different.  I'll be seeing pink hippos.  Ever since I was a little girl  when I saw Walt Disney's Fantasia I have had a thing for happy hippos so I had to have this image from Shirley's 2 Girls.  It comes with Christmas sentiments but I'm using it as a New Year's card, okay, you got me, it's a belated Christmas card, like you didn't forget somebody.  But I digress...
It's Twisted Thursday, and this week the twist is "New Year" so I'm seeing pink hippos bringing in the New Year.  
If you'd like to snag a hippo for yourself you can click here to shop.  Once you've figured out what stamp to use, get that card put together and post it on the S2G blog, you could win a digi.  Need more inspiration, well you can see the rest of the DT's projects on the S2G blog too. 

So get inky this week, make a New Year's card and join the challenge.

Here's the deets:
stamp - S2G digi Hippo
ink - HP printer
paper - Georgia Pacific white cs for the image; Warsau green cs for mats and card base; My Mind's Eye Wonderful Winter pad dp;
miscellaneous - charm from acharmingplace.com;  My Favorite Things hot fix crystals and ribbon; stickles; divine twine from the Car's Pajamas; Stampin' Up corner punch

Here's the challenges:
Shirley's 2 Girls twisted Thursday - twist "New Year
Going Grey with Scrap Creations - Ring in the New Year
Paper Playtime #31 - New Year's
Crafty Ho's - Photo Inspiration - New Year's Ball

Sweet Dreams

It's Twisted Thursday at Shirley's 2 Girls but this week we're taking a break.  So sit back and relax.  Instead of making a card for this challenge make one for yourself, the one you've been waiting to get around to but haven't had the time.  Use the image you've been dying to ink up or print out. 

AND you can still go shopping at the store.  Buy yourself a present.  I always buy myself plenty of Christmas present because I want to make sure I get things that I love.  Hey, I'm serious, if you've ever gone shopping with me you know it's true.  I will be visiting the Shirley's 2 Girls shop in just a short while, maybe we'll bump into each other there.
I can't find the "cheat sheet" where I wrote down my deets and I've already sent this card off to someone so I'm going to try to remember what I used.
I think these are the deets:
stamp - digi image "Sweet Dreams" from Shirley's 2 Girls
ink - HP printer
paper - Doodlebug dp; Stampin' Up Certainly Celery cs for mat and Kraft for card base; Georgia Pacific cs for image and sentiment
miscellaneous - copics, stickles, Doodelbug candy shaped brads; I think the pink things in the scallop points are Candy Dots; nestibilities
Here's the challenges:
Freshly Brewed challenge 27 - Merry Christmas
Belli Challenge #107 - Merry Christmas (the Doodlebug paper and brads are from last Christmas)
Simon Says - Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Paper Playtime #30 - Christmas
If the Shoe Fits FF#59 - Get  Krafty
Paper Sundaes #49 - Cut It Out - the image is cut out 

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

Time Out

Has it gotten to you yet?  If it hasn't more power to you.  If you've got everything under control why don't you join us at Shirley's 2 Girls for a twisted challenge.  This week the twist is "Flock".  I used it on the Santa hat trim. 
This image is "Christmas Cheers" and you can pick it up here in the S2G shop.  It's a digi image so you can make it as teeny tiny as you like or as large as the paper your printer can take.
Doesn't this chair look like the one you'd plunk in?  It's supposed to look like velvet, well maybe if you squint.  The papers are Graphic 45.  Can you see that I used one of the dp like a ribbon, it's the little striped pieces under the snowflake edges.  When you use this punch you get some snowflakes and a tiny strip of paper left over.  I've used all these pieces on the card.  You really have to look closely to find all the snowflakes but they are there and they've gummy bling in the centers.  Any flake you see on the plaid dp is one of the punched flakes.
If you're like me you're squeezing in Internet time here and there.  So I won't keep you much longer, just enough to list the deets and the challenges and to remind you to that we'd love to see your creation, so post it on the S2G challenge blog.  Who knows, maybe you'll be this week's winner.

So here's the deets:
stamp - S2G "Christmas Cheers" digi image
ink - HP printer; Ranger tea dye sponged on edges
paper - Georgia Pacific cs for image; Graphic 45 "Christmas Past" collection
miscellaneous - EK Success snowflake punch; Taylor's tiny twinkles, snowflake charm; ribbon, flock; copics

Here's the challenges:
Shirley's 2 Girls - use flock
Cupcake Craft Challenge #121 - non-tradional Christmas (I think the colors gold and pink are non-traditional)
Stampin' Royalty #50 - Bring on the Bling (the centers of all the snowflakes)
Allsorts week #82 - Last Minute Christmas
Stamp with Fun #89 - Christmas
For Fun - Christmas
Freshly Brewed #27 - Merry Christmas

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

Let It Snow, Let It snow....

Let it snow! Just not here. I moved a couple thousand miles to get away from that white stuff.

If you like snow I hope you have a white Christmas but for me, I like palm trees and flamingos. But that's not why you're here so onto my project.
It's Twisted Thursday again at the Shirley's 2 Girls challenge blog and this week the twist is "Glitter and Bling". Don't you just love glitter and bling. I wish the glitter and bling on this box showed up a little more. I used some Taylor's Tiny Twinkles on the image's falling snow and there's some glitter on the snow on the chair and the drifts on the ground. I need to work on my photograhy skills cause my pics are just not showing what the cards and projects look like. Maybe if you click to enlarge the image you'll be able to see them better but I digress...
It should be easy for you to join us this week. You can get another gift or card knocked off your list so go get your stamps and papers out and join in the fun. You could win a digi image, all you have to do is make a card or project using glitter and bling and link it up on the S2G challenge blog.
This is a really easy, fast, inexpensive (yeah, cheap, but inexpensive sounds so much more elegant) and fun to make project. It's an altered pencil case I picked up at CVS for less than $2. How could you go wrong for that price?
I'm a sucker for anything with an Adirondack chair on it. I had to have this stamp. It's "Winter Chair", you can get it and lots of other fun, cute and fanciful winter and Christmas images in the S2g shop so go take a look and spoil yourself with a little purchase. You deserve it.

To make this all you need to do is cut a 12 x 12 piece of dp in half. Score it at 1/2", 3-1/2", 4-1/2", 7-1/2", 8-1/2". Hold the paper around the box and press it down where the closing snap is, to get a marked spot, then punch a hole there. Put a strip of red line or score tape down the 1/2" edge, on the top and bottom of the 3" edges and down the edge of last side and tape it onto the case. Punch a slot on the image's mat, run your ribbon through it and cut it at a length that will go around the box and allow you to tie a bow. I added a charm to my bow, but you know me, I use a charm whenever possible. Adhere the mat to the box, tie the bow. You can fill it pencils and pens or markers, maybe a gift card or ribbons. Whatever you put inside it, it's going to be a fabulous present.
Need some other ideas to get your mojo going.  Well stop at the S2G site and see what the rest of the design team has cooked up. 

Here's the deets:

stamp - "Winter Chair" digi image from Shirley's 2 Girls

ink - HP printer

paper - Gerogia Pacific for the image; MFT Sno-Cone cs for mat; Imaginisce dp

miscellaneous - ribbon, snowflake charm, Taylor's Tiny Twinkles; circle punch; glitter; copics

Here's the challenges:
Shirley's 2 Girls - Twisted Thursday - Glitter and Bling
Shabby Tea Room week 39 - Tis the Season, create a holiday gift item or gift set
Paper Playtime #28 - Snowflakes
Paper Sundaes #47 - Gift It
Pile It On #48 - It's All in the Wrapping
Cupcake Craft Challenge #120 - Little Red Robin (it's red and it's a bird, close as I'm going to get to a robin)
Going Grey - Make it a Gift or Wrap
City Crafter Week 34 - Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!
Fussy and Fancy week 35 - Anything But a Card
Really Reasonable Ribbon #13 - Anything But A Card - Winter Theme

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

Fruitcake Anyone?

This is Shirley's 2 Girls "Fruitcake Angel".  Isn't she just a little twisted?  Well, that's okay cause it's Twisted Thursday, that's right we're back to challenges and this week it's buttons and bows.  I put so many buttons on this card I couldn't fit the sentiment "You say fruitcake like it's a bad thing".  AND the two other sentiments that come with the image are a equally funny.
Fruitcake has such a bad reputation but I have to tell you that in my family the Italian fruitcake is something we adore. It's too bad that it's so difficult to make, my aunts no longer make it and no one else wants to carry on the tradition.  One year I took a vacation day to learn how to make this cake.  As much as I love the cake it's something that I couldn't do alone and no one else is up to the task.  Lots of rolling dough.  It's rolled and filled with honey, cloves and nuts and raisens, then layered and cut and wrapped into a circle shape.  Maybe one year my daughter will want to give it a try but I digress...
To make the card (you might want to click on it, that way you can see a larger version of it) I used a Memory Box pink card base.  To make the papers stand out I sponged the edges with Ranger Worn Lipstick.  The pearls on the mat were made with a Viva pen.  The bow was tied onto a Spare Parts clip and attached to the mat.  The little white dots were made with a gel pen. 
I think I have to send this card to my Aunt Kay, she made those cakes for so many years she'll get a kick out of it.
It's time for you to join us.  Just make a card or project with the twist "buttons and bows" and link it up to the S2G blog for your chance to win a prize.  All the details are here.  You don't have to use S2G images to play but if you have them we'd love to see you use them.  If don't have them but want to get some you can shop for them here.

Here's the deets:
image - Shirley's 2 Girls digi  "Fruitcake Angel"
ink - HP printer
paper - Doodlebug dp
miscellaneous - copics, ribbon, charm, Viva pen, gel pen, Spare Parts clip, buttons, nestibilities

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.

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.

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.

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.

Take Out Boxes

It's Twisted Thursday at the Shirley's 2 Girls challenge blog! It's our last Howl-o-ween challenge for the year so get out your ghosties and goblins and get inky or digi with them. This week the twist is "Trick or Treat". How easy peasy is that. Need inspiration, well click  this link and you'll be able to see all the fun creations the rest of the design team made. Every week they come up with fabulous projects.   SO, got your idea, go whip it up and be sure to link it up.  There'll be a prize for some lucky crafter.  It could be you.
For my project I made and decorated Chinese food boxes with S2G digital images "Be-Witched" and "Masked Dog" (to get an S2G image click here for the S2G store).   On one of my many walks around the craft store I found clear take out boxes and thought that they'd make good templates.  Well,
 they did.  You just have to pop the handle off and then they unfold.  The small box just fits on an 8-1/2 x 11 sheet of card stock.  For the large box I used two sheets of 12 x 12 card stock and cut out sections.  I made sure each section had a portion of the bottom square so that I could piece it together in a place it wouldn't show.  If you don't have a ton of card stock to use up (it could happen, not to me or you but there could be someone out there who doesn't horde the stuff) you may want to just buy a pre-made one and use that.  BUT NO!  NOT ME!  I'M NO SLACKER,  I have to make my own and if you want to make one in an odd color then you too should go get yourself a clear box and take it apart to use as a template. 
The small box is holding candy corn and would be a really cute trick or treat item.  Yesterday as I was purchasing my third and fourth (they were selling two 4s - how could I resist) bag of candy corn the woman in line behind me told me she can't buy candy corn because she eats it.   I was wondering what she thought I did with it. 

Here's the deets:
Stamp - S2G digi images "Be-Witched" and "Masked Dog
Ink - HP printer
Paper - Georgia Pacific cs for images; boxes made with unidentifiable cs
Miscellaneous - stickles; Jolene's spider web sticker; Prima flowers; brad, copics; Stampin' Up circle and scalloped circle punches

Here's the challenges:
Shirley's 2 Girls - Halloween with twist of Trick or Treat
Creative Card Crew - Let's punch it (around the masked dog)
Tuesday Taggers - Deep Purple Halloween
Crazy 4 Challenges C4C60 - Halloween
Paper Playtime #22 - Halloween

Raise the Bar #41 - orange, black and purple
Stamp Something - Something digi
Cupcake Inspirations #82 - photo of cupcakes decorated as a ghost town
Corrosive #87 - Halloween (or orange/black)
Sweet Stampin' #49 - Anything but a Card
Cupcake Craft challenge #114 - Sweet Treats with a twist - Halloween (the sweet treats are inside the little orange container - if you look closely you can see one peeking out

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

Meow in Three Part Harmony

Check out these happy kitty kats from Shirley's 2 Girls.  Isn't it a fun image.  Well that's a scene that used to be played out in my old neighborhood on many nights so I can say with certainty that I'm glad this card doesn't have sound!  When those cats started to wail it sounded like someone was beating a baby, but I digress...It's time for another Shirley's 2 Girls challenge!  wohoo!  That's right it's time for Twisted Thursday.  October is all about Halloween and this week the twist is to use spots and dots.  For my spots and dots I chose one of the S2G Halloween digi papers that you can get here.  You get 6 different designs that you can use over and over for just a couple dollars.  I do love spiders for Halloween.  In real life this paper is more purple than the blue you see here.  I never seem to be able to get purples in pictures to show correctly.  I'd love to hear about it if you know how to get that adjustment.  But again I digress...I'm here to ask you to play along with us at Shirley's 2 Girls.  Just make a Halloween themed card or project using spots and dots and link your creation up on the S2G blog.  Maybe you'll win a digi image.

So here's the rest of the deets:
Stamp - S2G digi "Ghoul Friends" 

Ink - hp printer for image; Ranger Pumice Stone sponged on edges

Paper - Georgia Pacific cs for image; S2G digi paper on base; Stampin' Up Kraft cs for border and card base; scrap yellow cs for mat

Miscellaneous - Little Yellow Bicycle Baby Safari Button Stickers; Martha Stewart Graveyard border punch; copics; TCP twine; cat charm

Here's the challenges:

Shirley's 2 Girls - Halloween the twist to use spots and dots

Sweet Sunday Sketch #SSD73 - sketch

Creative Cottage #25 - Halloween

Stamp with Fun #81 - Halloween

Creative Inspirations #45 - Halloween

Stamp Something - Halloween Somethings

Stampin' for the Weekend #49 - Halloween/Fall

OCC - Embellishments - the more the merrier (button stickers, twine, border punch, charm)

One Stop Craft Challenge #102 - Halloween

Crazy for Challenges C4C59 - Fall/Autumn
2 Sisters challenge 9 - Halloween
If the Shoe Fits FF#51 - a Holiday for the Holidays
Bee Crafty #40 - Halloween - use a digi image
Baby Bud 1st challenge - Halloween/Fall
Double Dutch DDC#54 - Boo to You!
Crafts and Me #15 - Halloween
Aly's Sunday Challenge ASC27 - Halloween

Still Thiking Pink

FREE!!!!  Did I get your attention.  How would you like to be able to make this card for free.  OK, you do have to supply your own card stock.  Thanks to the girls at Shirley's 2 Girls you can get the bra image for free.  AND the ribbon template is also available for free on Design Team member Melissa's blog.  How great is that! 
I love the way this little card turned out.  I wanted to keep it simple but you could get all crazy with that bra.  Did you ever see the Vicotoria's Secret bra that was covered with real bling.  I saw it a couple years ago around Christmas time.  I cannot imagine anyone buying it or for that matter wearing it but it was something to behold.  I haven't bothered to do a search for it but I imagine you can find a picture of it on-line if you search a little.  But I digress...The girls have posted the image of the bra on the challenge blog (click here) for anyone to grab.  While you're grabbing the image don't forget to make a note of the e-mail location (thegirls@shirleys2girls.com) so you can send a pic of your card.  They are going to make a slide show of the cards they receive.  I can't wait to see what you all make.
Don't forget that if you use Melissa's template to give her credit.  Thanks Melissa, I love it.
Lastly, don't forget to click on the pink ribbon on my sidebar.

First Bite

Usually when doggies bite it's not a good thing but when it's a vampire doggie on a card it's just dang cute.  This vamp is a digi image "First Bite" is from Shirley's 2 Girls where you can find lots of Halloween images.  And since they're digital you don't have to worry that you won't get them in time to use them for this Halloween.  They'll be in your e-mailbox in two shakes of a vampire doggie's tail.  You can get a start on your cards by making one for this week's S2G challenge.  The girls have given you a sketch and put the twist of "black and white" on it.  A little birdie (Georgia, I'd never rat you out) told me you can add a little color.  Thank goodness because there's a little bit of the inside of the doggie's cape showing and we all know that no self respecting vampire would own a cape that didn't have a red lining and I just have to make sure you see that it's red. 

Since you gotta get a little creepy when you're making Halloween cards I decided to make the circle element on the card a spider's web. I like to place charms on my card, for this card I took a bee charm and wrapped it up in black and white twine in the hopes of making it look like ithe bee was trapped in the web by a spider. The dp is a spider web, it's cut out with inverted circle scallops Nestibilities to look like a web.

This card was made on a black card stock base.  If you use a dark colored base you should take the time to finish the inside off with a lighter piece of card stock.   For this one I used an EK Success bat punch on the bottom, looks cute and goes with the bats in the image.
If you need some more inspiration hop over to the Shirley's 2 Girls challenge blog, the rest of the design team has been busy brewing up Halloween fun for you.  Don't forget to link up your project on the challenge page, you could win a S2G digi image. 

Here's the deets:

Stamp - Shirley's 2 Girls digi "First Bite"
Ink - HP printer; Memento "London Fog" sponged around image
Paper - Georgia Pacific cs for image; Basic Gray "Eerie" collection for dp
Miscellaeous - May's Ribbon; Blue Moon Tokens bee charm; Nestibilities; copics; the Cat's Pajama's twine

Here's the challeges:
Shirley'2  Girls - sketch, use black and white (a little color is OK)
Simon Says - Easy No Cook Recipe - 3 embellies (ribbon, charm, twine), 2 dp; 1 image
L'il Red Wagon #50 - Something Old (the paper is from last year, for that matter so is the ribbon and charm)/Something New (the image)
Wee Memories #26 - Halloween
Tuesday Taggers - More than 2 legs???
Going Gray GGSC30 - Make it 3D (the charm, and the image is popped up)
Cupcake Craft #112 - Scarey Creatures (he's very cute but he's a vampire!)

Thank you for visiting, I hope you enjoyed your stay and will come back again.  Don't forget to click on the pink ribbon - breast cancer really is really scarey.  You can help wipe it out by a mere click.

A Hazy Shade of Winter

Another two weeks have rolled around so it's time for a "Cooking It Up With Katie" challenge.  Katie always gives you a recipe.  This week it's embossing, sticker and leaf.  She'll have a jazzy way of saying those three items so you really have to go over to her site to check it out and while you're there you can see what the rest of the design team has created.  Their work is worth the visit. 
So for my card I dry embossed the brown layer.  It's a shame that you can't see the wood grain in the photo, in real life it's faint but it's just enough to add a nice touch. 
The base of this card was made with Bazzill card stock and instead of putting a ribbon through the slider sticker I used a piece of that card stock.  The word on the slider is "remember": 
Put your thinking cap on, grab a stamp and put something together.  You can link your project up on Katie's blog and if you're lucky you'll be the winner. 
One of the other challenges out there this week called for using a song title for inspiration.   That's the "A Hazy Shade of Winter".  The lyrics go " Time, time, time, see what's become of me, while I looked around for my possibilities, I was so hard to please...Look around, the leaves are brown and the sky is a hazy shade of winter" This stamp reminds me of that song and I had it playing in my head while I was making it (and while I'm posting it).  It seemed appropriate,and  it made me melancholy. A feeling that I associate with fall.   Maybe if I were living in a Northern state with a chill in the air the feeling would have lasted but going out into the bright sunshine and warm Florida temperature put me back into a "hot fun in the summertime" mood. 

Here's the deets:
stamp - Shirley's 2 Girls "Fall Chair" digi image
ink - HP printer
paper - card base Bazzill cs; brown cs Nicole; orange cs Stampin' Up; image printed on Georgia Pacific cs
miscellaneous - Making Memories "5th Ave" colorboard stickers; Hero Arts Gem Stones; copics; stickles; EK Success border punch

Here's the challenges:
Cooking It Up with Katie #33 - embossing, sticker and leaf
Paper Sundaes #39 - A change of seasons
Stamp Something - Something punched
Allsorts Week 73 - Inspiration from a song title (A Hazy Shade of Winter)
Cupcake Inspiration - Photo Inspiration - a yummy cupcake iced with fall colored flowers and a dragonfly on the top,
Stampin' B #79 - Fall card
Charisma Cardz #40 Autumn colors

Thanks for visiting, I hope you'll come back again.
Click on the pink ribbon before you go, it's good for all of us.

BOO!

If you're like me and you just  love Halloween then you must be having a lot of fun walking through the stores.  I cannot believe how much is available for decorating, wearing and eating.  Used to be, you needed a lot of imagination and crafting abilities to have a big Halloween.  Now you can buy everything, but for crafty people it's still fun to make stuff.  I took a stroll through the big blue box this morning and just loved all the stuff I saw.  There were jars with marshmallow heads in them, they were a riot, trays of body parts, and plenty of creepy stuff. 

While I was browsing I was looking for something with a circle element for my Shirley's 2 Girls project.  What caught my eye was the Gummy Bear jar.  The lid is the perfect spot for the Masked Dog image (available here).  Since the image is digital I could make the image the correct size.  I also made a smaller version to hang as a gift tag (I just happen to know someone who just happens to love gummy bears).  The twist for this week's challenge is to use "boo".  One of my favorite punches is an EK Success "Boo" punch.  I used that to replace the brown ribbon around the lid.  Of course if you make one of these you can just put a matching ribbon on the jar.  All I had to do was print out the images, color them, and cut them out.  I used a variety of different colored stickles for the dots on the wreaths.  Put a purple eyelet on the small tag,and strung it with twine.  Punched out the boo border glued it to a small strip of card stock and glued that to the lid's edge. 
It's a quick and easy project and the jar looks so much better now that's it's been altered.
So that's my project for this week's Shirley's 2 Girls challenge, what will you make?  If you need a Halloween image you can pick one up at the S2G store, if you need some more inspiration then visit the site and see what the other design team members have made.  I got a preview and I can tell you, it's worth checking out.  Once you've finished it don't forget to link it up, you could win a fun digi image. 

Here's the deets:
Stamp - S2G "Masked dog" digi
Ink - HP printer
Paper - Georgia Pacific cs for image; Warsau cs for border
Miscellaneous - copics; stickles; the Cat's Pajama's twine; eyelet

Here's the challenges:
Shirley's 2 Girls - use "Boo"
City Crafter week #25 - Hooray for the Holidays!
Paper Sundaes #38 - Something from Your Stash (the eyelet on the tag is ancient)
Fab 'n' Funky #43 - Use a digi image
Sweet Stampin' #46 - Punch It Out
Simon Says - Halloween

Thanks for visiting, I hope you'll come back again. By the way, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, so it would be a good thing if you click on the pink ribbon on my sidebar.