CIC227 My Creative Classroom

This is my favorite part of Sundays.  The cupcakes at the Cupcake Inspirations Challenge.  I think this week's photo is one of the cheeriest and most fun photos around and it wasn't hard being inspired by it.

This week we have My Creative Classroom for our sponsor, stop over at our blog to find out more about them, the prize, and see some more inspiration.

My card uses the color scheme, washi tape with a red gingham print, and three pairs of sun glasses.  

What will you create?  There's so many ways to go.

Here's the deets:
stamp - Taylored Expressions "It's a Banner Day 1"
ink - MFT Blu Raspberry
paper - MFT - Smooth White, Sour Apple, Orange Fizz, Banana Split and Blu Raspberry card stock; Stampin' Up Gumball Green card stock
miscellaneous - Taylored Expressions Spectacles Dies; Washi tape; bling; baker's twine; sun charm; Close To My Heart dots

Here's the challenges:
Cupcake Inspirations CIC227 - photo
Taylored Expressions - Tic Tac Toe (washi tape, birthday card, 2 or more dies)
Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes
Friday Mash Up #126 - Washi Tape
CCEE1336 - Birthday Card

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

CIC214 - Taylored Expressions

It's time for a new Cupcake Inspirations Challenge.  This week we're giving you the option to be inspired by the cupcake or to use the colors as your challenge.  

I'm very excited to tell you that this week we are being sponsored by Taylored Expressions.   I just love all the cupcake stamps.  The first time I laid eyes on one of the Halloween cuppies I just had to have it.  Since then I've picked up several more cuppies and a good amount of stamps sets that are not cupcakes, but the cupcakes will always tickle my fancy.

Taylor is giving the stamp set "Sweet Friends" to the winner of this week's challenge.  It's chuck full of images and sentiments.  She also let the design team pick an image to use.  How great is that!  Very great!  The hardest thing about this was deciding which image to use.  Stop over at the Cupcake Inspirations challenge blog to see what the rest of the sweeties made with their choices.  They are a talented bunch of ladies, you're be glad you visited.  If you have a couple minutes to spare time leave them some love.   You know that we all adore reading your comments.

The image I chose is called "Sweet Bliss".  I think it looks great with the cupcake taking the place of the letter "o".  I colored the cupcake with the colors of the cupcake in the inspiration photo but I didn't add all the little dots.  I was afraid that they would just look like a hot mess and didn't want to take the chance.  

When I made the die cut of the heart doily I saved some of the cut out hearts to use for decorations on the long panel.  It was really great to have a matching brad.  











Here's the deets:
stamp - Taylored Expressions "Sweet Bliss" digi
ink - printer; Ranger "Milled Lavender"
paper - Bazzill "Snow White" card stock base; Stampin' Up "Wisteria Wonder", "Lucky Limeade" and "Pool Party" card stock; Stampin' Up "Specialty Sweet Shop" dsp
miscellaneous - copics; MFT "Heart Doily" die-namics; Stampin' Up "Modern Label" punch; Lavender waxed linen twine; heart charm; SU Jellybean Sweet Shop brad

Here's the challenges:
Cupcake Inspirations CIC214 - Photo
Sister Act #10 - Anything Goes
Charisma #22 - Tons of Layers

Thanks for stopping by, come back again.

SFTW #22 - Texture

I hope you're lucky enough to be having a long weekend for the Thanksgiving holiday.   If you're like me you'll likely to be sitting in your craft room happily making cards or scrapbooking so why not join the Stampin' for the Weekend challenge #22 to add "Texture" to your card.  If you'd rather be shopping, well then run along and have fun. 

There's lots of ways to add texture to your card and texture adds interest. The light blue card stock layer is embossed with a Cuttlebug snowflake folder.  Textiles and fibers, like ribbon, cord, floss, twine and felt also add texture.  This card has a grosgrain ribbon.  There's glitter on the striped paper and the snowflakes.  The snowflakes also have pearls on them.  There's plenty more ways to add texture to your card.  Do you need some more ideas?  Then pop over to the Stampin' for the Weekend  challenge blog to see what the design team has created.  Those gals are not only very talented they're clever too.  You'll enjoy the visit.

 

Here's the deets:

stamp - Taylored Expressions "The Cool Crowd"

ink - Memento "Tuxedo Black"

paper - My Favorite Things "Sno-Cone" card stock; Stampin' Up "Pear Pizazz" card stock;  Bazzill "Maraschino" cs;  My Mind's Eye "Wonderful Winter" dp pad

miscellaneous - copics; Taylored Dies "Make a Snowflake"; Cuttlebug Snowflakes embossing folder; Viva "Ice White" Pearl pen and "Holo Iridescent" glitter Liner; Pearls; mini brads; ribbon; charm; machine stitching

 

Here's the challenges:

Stampin' for the Weekend #22 - Texture

Crafty Creations #197 - Christmas Is Coming

Creative Card Crew #24 - Anything Goes

Creative Craft Challenges 2 - Bingo (Blue, Stamps, Emboss)

 Ladybug Crafts Ink - Snowflakes

Going Grey - Winter 

Stamptacular Sunday #190 - Recipe:  Ribbon or Twine, Pearls or Gems, and Dies or Punches

The Squirrel and the Fox #31 - Anything Goes

Crafty Cardmakers #79 - More Than One Punch and/or Die Cut

Dream Valley #45 - Anything Goes

Paper Playtime #89 - Anything Goes

Crimbo Crackers #29 - Anything Goes

 

Thanks for stopping by, come back soon.

Hope's Into the Woods

I used to love to walk in the woods on the Appalachian Trail by the Delaware Water Gap, or at the gorgeous Girl Scout Camp Hoover and in the Poconos.  I really enjoyed walking in those woods during the day.  At night I usually wasn't afraid because I was usually with friends.  But when I had to take my dog for a walk at night in the Poconos I was usually alone and it was scary because even with our strongest flashlight I couldn't see even a foot in front of me and I was always tripping on rocks and roots in the road.  I was basically afraid I'd fall and break a leg.  Not scared of what was out there with me.  Now, here in Florida, I am pretty much scared to walk in the woods any time of day.  The woods here are the creepy places, even behind my house I won't go into the woods.  The wildlife here is just plain scary.   Now if there were cute little raccoons instead of pythons and alligators I might venture into the woods.

Here's the deets:
stamp - Taylored Expressions "Woodland Winter"
ink - Memento "Tuxedo Black"
paper - Close To My Heart "Aspen" pack
miscellaneous - copics; Stampin' Up "Circle" and "Scalloped Circle" punches; blue cord; raccoon charm; bling

Here's the challenges:
Stampin' Up HYCCT1231 - A Walk in the Woods
Raise the Bar #118 - Anything Goes
Really Reasonable Ribbon #59 - Winter Holiday
Fab 'n' Funky  #145 - Die Cuts and Punches
Southern Girls #56 - Animal Crackers
Card Makin' Mamas - Anything Goes
Totally Stampalicious - Anything Goes
Whoopsy Daisy - Punch It Out

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

 

It's Summertime

As the temperature climbs do your thoughts turn to the beach?  I love and hate the beach.  Love the way it looks, and the smell of coconut oil but I hate having sand stuck to me and later on finding it all over my car and house.  Other than that the beach is my idea of the closest thing to heaven.  So until someone invents sand that doesn't stick all over I'll just get over my dislike of sand and enjoy everything else. 

The sweeties have been playing with the beach this week and now we're inviting you to join us by making a project inspired by these cuppies for the Cupcake Inspirations Challenge CIC163.

AND the really great news is this week we have A Day for Daisies back as our sponsor.  Some lucky crafter is going to be very happy.   I was very happy to pick an image to use for this week.  You should shop now for an image to use for this week's challenge cause you're going to want so many of them that you might as well get a jump on it and pick up a couple now.

I love snow globes and I love mermaids so it seemed a foregone conclusion that I would chose the Mermaid in a Snow Globe.  This image is a keeper.  Can't you picture this with one of those plastic cups over it and some glitter and flower soft for shaking up.  I just may have to get my hands on them.

I've kept the card simple so that all the attention will go to the mermaid.  The card stock is embossed with a seashore theme.
Here's the deets:
stamp - A Day for Daisies - Mermaid in a Snow Globe; Taylored Expressions - It's a Banner Day 3
ink - hp printer; Studio G pink chalk
paper - the Paper Cut "Sno Cone"; Stampin' Up "Island Indigo
miscellaneous - copics; Souffle glaze pen; Taylored Expressions Banner Day 3 die; My Favorite Things Circle die-namics; Spellbinder's "Sea Scape" Impressabilities; pink bling;

Here's the challenges:
Cucpake Inspirations CIC163 - photo
Secret Crafter #188 - Anything Goes
Allsorts week 157 - By the Seaside
Papecraft Star #99 - Make Aqua Your Primary Color
Simon Says - Anything Goes
DYSU #74 - Under the Sea

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you'll come back again AND I hope you'll play along with us at Cupcake Inspirations Challenge.  Don't forget to link up your card or project.

Eat, Sleep, Create...

"Eat. Sleep, Create" sounds like the recipe for a perfect day.  Here's another great recipe:  1.) use anything on a spool  2.) add something metal and 3.) and include a sentiment.  That one sounds like the perfect card.  That's Katie's recipe for this week's Cooking It Up with Katie challenge #89.  That's a really easy peasy recipe to follow so why not give it a go, we'd love to have you join us.

For my card the thread is Tatting Crochet which comes on a spool, the charm is metal so are the brads and the staple and of course you can see the sentiment stamped below the image. 

don't forget the inside

Lately I've been ignoring last year's resolution to do the inside of my cards.  My excuse was that my crafting room was in turmoil because of our move.  Well, it's still pretty messy in here and I still don't know where everything is but this could last a long time so it's time to start working on the insides again especially when the card stock base is dark like this.   Even if you keep it very simple this little extra step is worth it.


Here's the deets:
stamp - Taylored Expressions "Knit Wit"
ink - Memento "Rich Cocoa"; Ranger "Scattered Straw"
paper - Bazzill "Pinecone" Kaisercraft "Up, Up and Away" dp and ticket
miscellaneous - copics; pearls; brads; thread; charm; Nesties circle and scalloped circle dies; stapler

Here's the challenges:
Cooking It Up with Katie #89 - Anything on a Spool, Something Metal, a Sentiment
Taylored Expressions TESC151 - sketch
Craft Your Days Away #38 - Get Stitchy with It (I stretched the knitting to be the image of a knitting basket - it's OK if you delete me)

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you'll visit often, and that you'll join us at Cooking It Up With Katie for this week's challenge.

Homecoming Dance

can you read the banner - it says "fall fling"

Do you swap?  If you're interested there's a forum on Splitcoast Stampers there's a forum for swaps.  This card is for Kate (celestial-stamper) annual Halloween swap.  This particular swap is closed, the cards are due any day now but Kate's usually got some swap going and there's usually a fun thread of yakking to follow with some fun trivia type quizzes. 

It was difficult to decide between a cutesy or a dark motif, and as you can see the dark side won out.  It's hard to see the dp on the card face since the image and embellies cover so much of it but in the pic of the inside you can see the graveyard easier. 

It struck me that these kiddies are all dressed up for a dance which put me in mind of a "fall fling".  So hopefully you're getting the idea that the graveyard is all tricked out for dance.



These kiddies (I think they're adorable, does that make me weird?) are Bowtie and Mink.  They're Daniel Torrence images.  When I colored them I used some pale greens, lavenders and grey on the face of Bowtie.  He doesn't strike me as the type to have a peaches and cream complexion.



 On the other hand Mink is partial to pink so there's just a very slight undertone of green which barely shows except on her eyelids where I used a darker shade because Mink thinks that the green eyeshadow really plays up her hair.  I think she's right

. 
Mink wore her best skirt for the dance.  It's purple, her second favorite color, which goes so well with her favorite pink.  The skirt has lots of bling on it, because the fall fling is a semi-formal dance.

The banners are dressed up with red stickles in the hopes of looking like blood and there's a spider hanging of the banner just because.  I couldn't resist adding the cockroach ribbon once again - just because.

don't forget the inside

Here's the deets:
stamps - Stampotique Daniel Torrence "Bowtie" and "Mink"; Taylored Expressions "Pennat a la Carte"; Crafty Secrets (spider web) "Halloween Fun"  unknown alphabet stamps for banner
ink - Memento "Tuxedo Black"; Studio G red, green and lavender for banner
paper - Recollections Neutrals card base; Bazzil "tangelo" cs; Moxxie "Midnight Dreary - Tomb It May Concern" dp
miscellaneous - copics, Taylored Expressions tiny twinkles and pennant die; twine, ribbon, stickles; stapler; EK Success "Graveyard" border punch

Here's the challenges:
Creatalicious #26 - Anything Goes
Really Reasonable Ribbon - #32 - Autumn theme (cockroach ribbon)
Catch the Bug - Let's Create a Scene
CES #5 - Embellish Me More (at least three different types)
Corrosive #133 - punches and/or dies
Sew Many #68 - Halloween
Fab 'N' Funky #90 - bingo (embellie, ribbon and die cut)

Boo!

can you see the ghost charm, the twine bow is covering its face

I am so excited for lots of reasons.
The biggest reason is that this post is as Guest Designer for Taylored Expressions sketch challenge #146.  Yippee!!!  A big thanks for Taylor for this fun opportunity. 
Would you like to know why else?  Well, you know I'm going to tell you whether you want to know or not.  It's time to be making Halloween cards.  Of course if you go by the stores you could have been starting your Halloween decorating two months ago.  But Moi, I think September is the time to start your planning. 
And the last reason I'm excited is because I got to use that funky ribbon, there's not to many places you can use cockroaches as decoration.
Is it possible that you just aren't feeling Halloweenish yet?  Well, you can make any kind of card you'd like, just follow the sketch.  It's posted on Taylor's blog.  Need more inspiration?  Stop by the design team members blog, you'll find plenty of inspiration.
Here's a list of the team with links to their blogs:

Cassie Trask

Jami Sibley

Lisa Hjulberg

Lori Craig

Margie Cortina

Monika Davis

Taylor VanBruggen

Tracy Clemente

Guest Stamper: Jessica and Chris (that's me)
Stop by their blogs and leave them some love, you know how much you like to get comments.

don't forget the inside

Here's the deets:
stamps - Taylored Expressions "Trick or Sweet"

ink - Memento "Tuxedo Black"

paper -Bazzill "Beeswax" and "Tangelo" cs; K and Co. "Halloween Specialty" pad

miscellaneous - copics; EK Success "Graveyard" border punch; Stampin' Up circle punch; cockroach ribbon, baker's twine; ghost charm; mini brads; stickles; sewing machine




Here's the challenges:
Taylored Expressions #146 - sketch
Freshly Brewed - Something New (cockroach ribbon)
Stamp With Fun #127 - Autumn

Aly's ASC46 - Add a bow
Paper Play week 36 - use 2 or more stamped images
Pals Paper Arts PPA110 - Halloween
Thanks for visiting, I hope you'll come back again.  Now go visit Taylored Expressions where you can find the great sketch for this week's challenge as well as all the things you need to know to play along.

AND again a great big thank you to Taylor for giving me this opportunity.  I had a blast. 

Oh So Pretty

CIC122

Aren't these little cakes stunningly beautiful, I could never bite into one of these.  But they are for our inspiration, not for eating.  There's so much inspiration here, what will it be?  The designs on the cakes remind me of many Stampin' Up and Verve sets, almost everyone has a flower stamp similar to this design.  Will it be the colors, that gorgeous magenta and screaming hot turquoise are jumping off my screen.  Will it be the background, those rich fall colors and leave motif are beautiful too.

This week we are sponsored by DRS Designs. DRS allowed the design team to pick the images we'd like to use this week. When I saw the "Brush Beach Sunrise"  it reminded me of my new location, sunny Florida. For the last couple of weeks hubby has been waking me up early for a walk and we often see the sun rising, it is a glorious site, even if I'm only half awake. Those who know me will attest to the fact that I often don't speak a word till I'm up for an hour or two and then it's mostly grumbles. I do not do mornings.  I even have a stamp that says so, so there. But I digress...

don't forget the inside

Here's the deets:
stamp - DRS Designs "Brush Beach Sunrise" and "Fun in the Sun" sentiment; Taylored Expressions "It's a Banner Day 1"
ink - hp printer; Studio G pink pad for the banner outline
paper - Stampin' Up "Pacific Point" cs and "Rich Razzleberry" cs and dsp; the aqua paper had no marking on the back
miscellaneous - copics, Creative Memories cutting system; Taylored Expression "Banner Day 1" die, baker's twine; sun charm




Here's the challenges:
Cupcake Inspirations CIC122 - photo
Stamp Something - August Digi Days
Totally Papercrafts #78 - Holidays (wouldn't you love to be in that scene)
Really Reasonable Ribbon #29 - Sizzlin' Summer
Creative Inspirations #65 - Summer
CES #48 - Water It

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you'll come back again.  Now you should head over to the Cupcake Inspiration challenge blog to see what the rest of the design team has created, you'll be glad you did.

Clean and Simple

Wow, who knew that clean simple could look so nice.  Just kidding, I often find myself drooling over someone else's clean and simple cards.  They are often very elegant and beautiful in their simplicity but it's not my usual style.  Normally I like to sit and fuss, find fun papers and borders and die cuts. 
This is another card for the Splitcoast Dare to Get Dirty challenges.  If you've been visiting here for the last couple posts then you know that if you want to find out the details you have to be a fan club member.

Here's the deets:
stamp - Taylored Expressions "Flamingos in Love"
ink - Versamark (with silver embossing powder)
paper - Stampin' Up "Confetti White" cs
miscellaneous - Stampin' Up watercolors, silver embossing powder, Queen and Co.
pink rhinestones

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

Flamingos in Love

see the flamingo charm?  click on the photo to enlarge it

The flamingos are in love and I am in love with the flamingos.  This stamp was a "thank you" from Taylor of Taylored Expressions.  TE recently had a design team call, sadly I was not picked but I received this stamp for applying.  It was totally unexpected and very generous of her.  So I have used the stamp for this week's Taylored Expressions sketch challenge.
I feel like a fish out of water.  My sewing machine has a problem.  I thought it was fixed but was wrong.  My cards look so naked to me without machine stitching.  It's funny because a couple years ago I couldn't be bothered with machine stitching.  But I digress...
Here's the deets:
stamp - Taylored Expressions "Flamingos in Love"
ink - Memento Tuxedo Black
paper - Stampin' Up "Melon Mambo" cs and "Razzleberry Lemonade" dsp; Neenah Classic Crest Natural white cs
miscellaneous - copics; gelly roll glaze pen; satin ribbon; linen twine; flamingo charm; pink pearls; Nesties circle die


Here's the challenges:
Taylored Expressions TESC143 - sketch
Simply Create #49 - Favorite Animal
Charisma Cardz #31 - Bingo (circles, ribbon, charms)
L'il Red Wagon #92 - Put a Critter on It
Shabby Tea Room week 73 - Mix and Match (photo inspiration/use 3 dp)

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

Ouch!

This cupcake is supposed to be dressed up as a mummy for Halloween but here's it's being used for a get well soon card.  One of my buddies had her knee operated on on Monday so this will be going out to her in the hopes of cheering her up.  I spoke to her on Tuesday and physically, her knee is feeling better than it has in months but she's a feeling a little blue because she has to rest and would rather be at the beach.  Well, I can't blame her, it's summer, who wants to sit on the couch.

Here's the deets:
stamp - Taylored Expressions "Trick or Sweet"; "Pennant a La Carte" and "It's a Banner Day"
ink - Memento "Tuxedo Black"; Close to My Heart "Ocean" and Studio G (doesn't have a name on it, it's a creamy buttery yellow I used it for the banner, you can hardly see it and a light aqua for the image on the inside)
paper - Stampin' Up "Bermuda Bay" cs; Georgia Pacific cs; October Afternoon "Thrift Shop"dp
miscellaneous - copics; mini brads; Taylored dies "Pennant Border" and "Banner Day 1"; sewing machine

Here's the challenges:
Taylored Expressions TESC142 - sketch
Simon Says - Anything Goes
Fab N Funky #81 - Baker's Dozen (feature food)
Secret Crafter #142 - Get Well Soon
Stamp With Fun #119 Get Well Soon

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

Happy 4th!

One of the highlights of summer is 4th of July fireworks.  I always look forward to seeing them.  Down here in Florida if you make the trip to Orlando you can fireworks any day of the year and I was in Orlando just a few days ago and did see some fireworks but I'm still looking forward to the 4th.  It's also the  my hubby's birthday and my good friend Eileen's too so there's lots of reasons for me to celebrate.  That also means I need a couple birthday cards, guess I'm half way there and I better get hopping with the other half.


Here's the deets:
stamp - Taylored Expressions "A Year of Sweets 2"
ink - Versamark and Memento Tuxedo Black
paper - MFT "Sweet Tooth", "Sno Cone" and "Red Hot" cs; Stampin' Up Subtle dsp; black scrap
miscellaneous - copics; gold, red and blue embossing powder; SU ribbon; dew drops; burlap twine; stickles

Here's the challenges:
Taylored Expressions TESC141 - sketch
Delightful Inspirations - Red, White and Blue and/or Christmas too
Secret Crafter #140 - Embossing
Polka Doodles - week 25 - Stashbox stamps, Red, White and Blue
Fairy Tale #18 - America
Moving Along With the Times - #104 - Clean and Simple
Craft Us Crazy #11 - Red, White and Blue and/or Summer Fun
I Heart Ribbon #5 - linen thread and hemp
Terrifically Thrilling Thursday - Stars and Stripes
Paper Variety - Summer
Fab N Funky - Summer Loving

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

Cupcake Party

These cuppies are just too too cute having a party.  Even the mocha twins came.  The party's for Taylored Expressions sketch challenge TESC140.

Here's the deets:
stamp - Taylored Expressions "Sweet Celebration"
ink - Memento "Tuxedo Black" and Close To My Heart "Ocean"
paper - Doodlebug "Cake and Ice Cream", Bazzill "Frosted Teal" and "Intense Kiwi"

miscellaneous - copics; Baby Safari sticker buttons (they're nakey cause they come with glue dots already on the back); Stampin' Up Hodgepodge Hardware; white glitter; stickles; sewing machine; Stampin' Up corner punch on inside



don't forget the inside

Here's the challenges:
Taylored Expressions TESC140 - sketch
Top Tip #38 - Open Challenge
My Time To Craft #145 - Xtra Images
Going Grey - Anything Goes
Sweet Stampin' - Food Glorious Food
Stampin' B - 1 layer, 2 stamps, 3 colors
DYSU #23 - Birthday

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

It's Cards Like This...

did you notice the sun charm?

...that can get your friends and loved ones really ticked off.  That is if you're like me and have moved to a sunny location and your friends (soon to be former friends) are digging out three and a half feet of snow.  With summer finally approaching it may be safe to send it, but even last month it was a little iffy.


Cuppie's hitting the beach.  Ah... I can smell the cocoa butter even as I type.  Doesn't she have a beautiful tan?  I'm so jealous, I sit in the sun and all I get is freckles, but the freckles look a bit better than my otherwise fish belly white complexion.  I am so pale that one time when my doctor was examining my legs I jokingly said he better put on his sunglasses and he replied that I could stand to get a little sun on them.  I am seriously pale.  But I digress...



don't forget the inside



Here's the deets:

stamp - Taylored Expressions "A Year of Sweets 2" and "It's a Banner Day 3"
ink - Memento "Tuxedo Black" for cuppie, "Ladybug" for banner and sentiment
paper - Me & My Big Ideas "Ellen - Starfish"; Stampin' Up "Bermuda Bay" and  "Crushed Curry" cs; Neenah Classic Crest Natural White
miscellaneous - copics; Banner Day 3 Taylored dies; Queen & Co "Sunflower Yellow" rhinestones; Recollections brads and mini brads; Nesties circle and inverted circle dies; baker's twine; charm; sewing machine

Here's the challenges:
Taylored Expressions TESC139 - sketch
Paper Cutz #69 - Beach or Travel
Crafty Catz #85 - Lots of Circles
Paper Play week 22 - Summer Citrus Splash - yellow, green and orange (I snuck a couple other colors in but it's mostly yellow and orange)
DYSU #22 - Orange

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

Getting Crafty



there's lots of bling on the scallop points, click the pic to enlarge it

 I'm not the only crafty sweetie around here.  Cuppie's a crafter too.  Cuppie knits and sews too.  Pretty talented, huh?

Here's the deets:
stamp - Taylored Expressions "Crafty Cuppie"
ink - Memento Tuxedo Black
paper - Stampin' Up purple (from Bold Brights) cs for mat; Basic Grey Kioshi dp (the pieces cut with the label 10 die are from Kioshi too)
miscellaneous - copics; ribbon; charm; stickles; Queen and Co Lavender rhinestones on the die; Taylored Tiny Twinkles on the scallops; nesties Labels 10 and oval dies; MFT die-namics scallop die




Here's the challenges:
Taylored Expression TESC137 - sketch
Paper Romance - Use your favorite die (I love the Labels 10 die)
DYSU #18 - Purple
Paper Craft Star #44 - Find Your Own Sketch
Kaboodle Doodle - It's the Bee's Knees (bling, lots and lots of bling)
Let's Ink It Up #14 - Embellish it

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

More Mojo

This is the second card I've made using this week's Mojo Monday sketch.  It's not a contest week I just really like this sketch.

It's difficult to see the sentiment which is "Somebunny loves you" because the ink is Stampin' Up's "Pretty in Pink" which is a very light color.  The pink is also used on the inside where the image is stamped.

Because it's close to Easter there are lots of challenges for this card.

Here's the deets:
stamp - Taylored Expressions "Sweet Spring"
ink - Memento "Tuxedo Black"; Stampin' Up "Pretty in Pink"
paper - MFT "Pink Lemonade" cs; My Mind's Eye "Tickles Pink" dp
miscellaneous - copics; stickles; ZVA pink crystals; bunny button; Doodlebug bunny brad; twine; cahrm; nesties scalloped rectangle; MFT die-namics "Faux Crochet" border die; Stampin' Up "Pink Pirouette" ribbon; Stampin' Up circle and scalloped circle punches; Martha Stewart border punch; sewing machine



here's the inside

 Here's the challenges:
Mojo Monday MOJO186 - sketch
Simply Create #41 - Egg-tra Special
Fussy and Fancy - For a Child
DYSU #15 - Scallops
Paper Cutz #87 - Buttons and Bows
Daring Cardmakers - Spring or Easter
Delightful Challenges - Easter
Craft Your Day Away #18 - Easter
Belli #115 - Eggs/Bunnies (the bunny brad is at least one year old)
Fab N Funky #68 - All Spotty and Dotty
Simon Says - Card for a Child
L'il Red Wagon - Easter
Sisterhood of Crafters - Easter Eggstavaganza
I {Heart} Ribbon - Striped Ribbon
Stamps R Us - Easter theme
the Pink Elephant TPE97- Easter
Tuesday Throwdown - Sparkle and bling
Crazy CCH#62 - Easter
CRAFT #98 - Easter

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

a Break from Easter



can you see the little charm?  click on the pic to enlarge it.

 I don't know about you but I'm just a little bit tired of Easter and Spring cards.  I needed a break and today I got happy mail from Taylored Expressions and a set of Halloween stamps was in my order.  So, I decided to get one of them inky and make a card for the TE sketch challenge. 

I found some old Halloween brads and used them for the embellies.  There's a tiny skull and crossbones charm hanging off the photo turn.  It's really hard to see, the sewing on the base dp is also hard to see, yet for some reason the card stock is just vibrating off the computer.  Go figure.

Here's the deets:
stamp - Taylored Expressions "Tick or Sweet"
ink - Memento "Tuxedo Black"; Ranger "Shabby Shutters"
paper - Wausau "Terra Green" and "Lift Off Lemon" cs; My Mind's Eye "Blackbird" dp
miscellaneous - copics; recollections mini brads; charm; Stampin' Up corner punch; Taylored Dies "Take Note Frame 3"; sewing machine; Halloween brads

don't forget the inside

Here's the challenges:

Taylored Expression TESC13 - sketch
Paper Sundaes #64 - Childhood Memories (I loved Halloween and getting dressed up in costumes, and I loved getting my daughter dressed up when she was little)

LOL, not too many challenges for Halloween.

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

I Miss NY

can you see the apple charm, it's not that "big"

This card is made using the sketch from Taylored Expression TESC135 challenge.  Once again this is not the card I had planned on making.  This has been happening a lot lately.  I had planned on using this stamp and some big red, black and yellow buttons.  Before I got around to putting it together I made a trip to the craft store and saw these "Puffies".  Needless to say I had to buy them and use them for this sketch. 
I have a couple friends who live in Manhattan and this is going to be a birthday card for one of them.  I'm thinking I have to go get another package of puffies so I can make one for the other friend.
In real life you can see that the cuppie was stamped twice and one of them is punched out and popped up.  You can see this a little bit better in the close up.


a close up of the cuppie















Here's the deets:
stamp - Taylored Expressions "I {heart} New York"
ink - Memento Tuxedo Black
paper - My Favorite Things "Sweet Tooth" cs for base; Georgia Pacific white cs for images; Basic Grey "June Bug" dp
miscellaneous - copics; mini brads; Puffies "New York" ; divine twine; apple charm; Taylored Expressions "Take Note frame 3" die; Stampin' Up 1-3/8" circle punch; sewing machine; stickles

don't forget the inside

Here's the challenges:
Taylored Expressions TESC135 - sketch
Craft Your Passion #15 - Anything Goes
One Stop Craft week 125 - Spots and Dots
Color Throwdown #134 - Black, Red, Yellow and Cream
Crafts and Me #28 - yellow
the Paper Variety - As Easy as 1-2-3 your choice- One stamp, two dp's; three puffies.

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

Cupcake Inspirations



Just gorgeous!  and inspiring...



How's this cupcake for inspiration?  It's gorgeous isn't it?  This is the inspiration photo for Cupcake Inspirations challenge CIC98.  This week the challenge is sponsored by Flourish with a Bling.  You have got to go over there and check out the beautiful embellishments they have for sale.  You'll get to see some samples on the challenge blog.  I don't have a sample to show simply because I became a member of the design team after this challenge was set up.  Technically my official first challenge will be next week but since I had some free time Rachel invited me to join the rest of the DT with a post.  You can check out what the girls have made with the flourishes here, there'll be links so you can leave them a little love on their blogs.  We all love reading your comments.

After you've drooled over those flourishes, you can avoid eating a piece of cake by getting your stamping supplies out and making a card or project inspired by this gorgeous cupcake and orchid.  At least for me one of the few times I don't eat is while I'm crafting.  Well, most of the crafting time...

I went hunting for a paper that has lots of flourishes on it and I've discovered that when I put all my layers on you can't see them.  I also drew some curlicues on the cupcake and the material she's sewing.  The colors for the icing and cake are inspired by the photo. 
Since this cuppie is sewing it seemed imperative that the card have some stitching, but I got too lazy to bring out the machine so I did a little faux stitching around all the edges.  Of course I had to add some stickles, and a charm. 
Last but not least there's the inside.  Don't forget the inside.  It gives the card so much ooomph (highly technical cardmaking term).  Seriously, you don't have to go crazy and if you don't have a lot of paper you can just add a little strip, when you're slicing the paper for your front hold onto those scraps so you can add something to the inside.  If you're a "Clean and Simple" designer well you can stamp a shadowy version of your main image and/or a sentiment on the inside.  Whatever you come up with, that inside deserves a little love too!






don't forget the inside

 Here's the deets:
stamp - Taylored Expressions "Crafty Cuppie"
ink - Memento Tuxedo Black; VersaMagic "Spring Pansy" for sentiment and inside
paper - Stampin' Up "Pale Plum" cs for base and mats; SU "Cottage Wall" dp; scrap of green cs for mat; Georgia Pacific white cs
miscellaneous -copics;  twine, charm; stickles; rick rack; SU "Orchid Opulance" marker; nesties; SU circle, scalloped circle, double slotted punches

Here's the challenges:
Cupcake Inspirations CIC98 - photo
A Sketch For You to Try - February sketch
Freshly Brewed #34 - Use a charm
Paper Variety - Cupcakes
Crafty Creations #105 - Three Little Words
Sugar Hollow Creek - Non-Traditional Valentine no pink or red  (OK I snuck in the red cherry, but no hearts or pink)

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you'll come back again and I hope you'll join us in the Cupcake Inspiration Challenge, if you do I'll be by to leave you some love.