SSDS Sketchy Saturday

This week at Stamp, Scrap, and Doodle Saturdays we have a sketch for you to play with. And guess what? I made the sketch. ;) No pressure. LOL

This was a super fun 1-layer card! I used my SU paper, stamps and Sizzix dies as well some PTI stamps & dies, CTMH stamps & rhinestones, CM corner rounder, Cuttlebug embossing folder and American Crafts ribbon. Love when all those products come together to make something that flows. I also used up my spool of ribbon! One down, an unmentioned number to go. Heh.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend! Those of you that a little sprinkly of rain ;), hope nothing was damaged and you gained some much needed family time playing games by candlelight.

Oldies but Goodies

Wow...Blogger was a nightmare this week. So glad it finally got fixed...and just in time for our next challenge over at Stamp, Scrap and Doodle Saturdays:

We want you to use your stash!

Yes, this stamp set was retired a few a years ago.
Yes, I have never used it.
Yes, it is sad!
But it is never too late! :)

So come on, pull out your old supplies and give them some love! We would love to have you join us this week!

Stamps: Blooming with Love (SU), Monthly Word Puzzle (CTMH)
Paper: Watercolor, Crumb Cake, Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry, SU Patterned Paper
Ink: Palette Noir, various SU inks for watercoloring
Accessories: Dew Drops, Stickles, SU Ribbon & Button, Scrapper's Floss

{heart} you friend

As I typed the post title I thought how cute it would have been to add the letter "u" on the heart! Meh. You get it as is! ;)

The inspiration for this card came from the challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments to use die cuts as the focus of your card! I ran for my SU Hearts & Brackets die (which I seem to use more than other die I own!). I also decided to try out my PTI pocket die that DH got me for Christmas. :)

Stamps: CTMH sentiment, PTI Library Card
Paper: Crumb Cake, Basic Black, Poppy, Naturals Ivory
Ink: Versafine Black, Versamark
Accessories: Clear and Iridescent ice embossing powder, Poppy ribbon, CTMH Sprinkles, Heart & Brackets die, PTI pocket die

Hope you are having a fabulous weekend!

It all started with...

It all started with a confession on SCS about my little addiction to stamps. You see, I love stamps...those images just call out to me...ideas flutter in my brain...and then I find myself pulling the same sets to create with! I have so many stamps that have yet to see ink.

And you know what I found out? I am not alone!

So I got thinking, we all need a little kick in the booty to use what we have. My friend Sami used to run a segment on her blog called Use It Tuesday...I loved that name...and from there we developed our new challenge blog Use It Tuesday!


Our challenges will run twice a month and are not product or project specific, rather they will have a little twist to get you to use something you are hoarding! Our first challenge is up now and runs through the 18th of February. We are asking that to participate you use an image (digi or otherwise) that you have not used previously!

Here is the card I made for the challenge:

And we won't talk about how long I have had the March Word Puzzle sitting my shelf...I think it might even be retired now...eekkk!)

Stamps: March Word Puzzle (CTMH), Mini Card Creations II (SP & Company)
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Garden Green, Whisper White (SU)
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pie, Garden Green (SU), Versamark
Accessories: American Crafts ribbon, SU Buttons & Linen Thread, Stickles, Clear Embossing Powder

Thanks for dropping by today! I hope you join us at Use It Tuesday!

SSDS: Sketchy Holiday

This week's challenge at Scrap, Stamp & Doodle Saturdays was a sketch! When I saw it, I was immediately reminded of a present. As you can tell, I took that theme and ran with it!


I gained my inspiration from a Christmas tree, making the colors red and green and putting the star on the top! Now, I will admit, my original vision was to have the star be a shaker...but I could not get my thin acetate to work with the star! I will have to try again another time with a more basic shape. Regardless, I love the beaded star and maybe it was just meant to be! ;)

Stamps: sentiment (CTMH)
Paper: Real Red, Garden Green, Crushed Curry (SU)
Ink: Versafine Black
Accessories: Red Polka Dot Ribbon (SU), beads, eyelets, Cricut for the star tag

Happy December! Can you believe it is already the 1st?!

PWCO Sketch Harvesting Love

Guess what? I found a new-to-me fun stamp line, Paper Works Co,...and the icing on the cake...they do weekly blog challenges! Woo Hoo! Of course, when I saw this sketch, I knew I had to participate this week. I love sketches!

And alright, I have a little admission to make...I have a good bit of ric rac. That. Has. Never. Been. Used. Yeah. I know. Sad...but the good news is that I got to use it on this sketch, hence why I think it was calling my name. :)

My card was guided by the color of my ric rac, which happened to coordinate perfectly with this TAC patterned paper. A little match made in heaven!

Stamps: Treasure Life(CTMH)
Paper: SU Pixie Pink, Cool Caribbean, Soft Suede, Whisper White, TAC Patterned Paper Rustic Chic
Ink: Versamark, Soft Suede, Cool Caribbean
Accessories: Clear Embossing Powder, MS Butterfly Punch, Robin's Nest Dew Drops, Stickles, SU Ric Rac, Nestabilities

Thanks for stopping by my little slice of the web today. :) I hope your day is fabulous!

Everything is Better in 3's

I am really having fun playing over at Clean & Simple Stamping! It is a constant reminder that a card does not have to have all the bells and whistles to make a statement!

(Unless, of course, my husband is reading this...then YES, I do need all that stuff!)

This week's sketch is shown below. I knew I wanted to make something with snowflakes, as I am trying to get ahead with my seasonal cards. I guess that is kind of cheating, as I pretty well bypassed Thanksgiving. :)



This card was easy peasy, complete in under 15 minutes! Love cards like that!

Stamps: Winter Wonder (Verve), sentiment (CTMH)
Paper: All SU (Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Brilliant Blue)
Ink: All SU (Bashful Blue, Brilliant Blue)
Accessories: All SU (Iridescent Ice EP, retired ribbon)

This is an appropriate card to post today, as we are enjoying some flurries as I type! Apparently we have enjoyed a mild winter thus far, which is fine by me! I enjoy the snowflakes on my cards, not so much in my driveway. :)

Wishing you a wonderfully crafty day!

HSS: Sakura

The challenge this week at Hand Stamped Sentiments was to make anything but a card. As we all know I am challenged by things out of the box, thus I have another scrapbook page to share!

This is kind of fun, because it is actually Cherry Blossom season up here right now! But alas...it is 2010 and those of you who enlarge the picture will note the date of April 2008. Yes, I am still 2 years behind...

For those interested in Japan, the pictures were taken at Hirosaki Castle. They have a big festival up there to celebrate the blossoms. Look at the fallen leaves in the water in the top picture...so beautiful!!! Festivals equal festival food, which in Japan is a variety of barbecued seafood and chicken, plus some yummy yakisoba. And the desserts...oh. my. gosh. I {heart} festival food!

At any rate, those who know my son in real life would describe him as a picky eater. As we were getting lunch that day, he ordered an octopus tentacle. Grilled. And ate it. With a thumbs up, no less! Craziness! And I spared you pictures of that...blech...but it is in the scrapbook!

Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies for the page are by CTMH and I used my Cricut for the font. :)

Are You Sitting Down?

Stamps: CTMH February Word Puzzle; Paper: SU Kraft, Rich Razzleberry, Kiwi Kiss, Melon Mambo, Kraft DSP, Whisper White; Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Versafine Black, Kiwi Kiss, Versamark; Accessories: Rich Razzleberry Ribbon, Button Latte, Linen Thread, Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder, Argyle CB Folder

Quite frankly, I have almost shocked myself! A Valentine. In the month of January no less!

Oh yes, there is a first time for everything, my friends. Maybe, just maybe, this will be the year I get cards made ahead of time.

Yeah, I am still laughing myself...but it was a nice thought. :)

I had so much fun with this card. It is made totally from scraps! 3 of the 5 hearts are cut out, one from a punch and 2 off my new Gypsy. :) I then ran the Melon Mambo heart through the Big Shot with a Cuttlebug embossing folder. The middle heart is blinged out with Iridescent Ice embossing powder. Hey, a girl has to have her bling on V-day, no?

Thanks for stopping by today!

Out of this World!

Stamps: Paper Makeup; Paper: SU, Chatterbox; Ink: Memento, Copics; Accessories: Making Memories Brads

Paper: CTMH; Sticker: CM

Paper: CTMH, football paper I got at Archivers :) Cricut Cartridge: Cursive 101, welded using Design Studio

You may be wondering why I chose to post these particular projects tonight! ;) (You can see a story coming, can't you?) Well, stay tuned...this is a good one and has to do with our week o' fun!

You see...drum roll please...it is Girl Scout Cookie time in Japan! (Hence why I am a bit late in posting...we have been in delivery...and eating mode!)

And this is the heated conversation overheard between my son and daughter tonight.

Daughter: "Stop it! Move! I am sitting there!"

Son: "Fine! But you know what? Mom and I are cheating on you! We bought cookies from ANOTHER Girl Scout!"

Oh, the horrors! LOL And of course we DID NOT! But I did have to keep myself from laughing.

So, these projects reminded me of my kids: the alien is my son's favorite, the page of his smile is priceless, and the page of both of them "cheering" for one another is a testament to their love for one another...even during cookie time and fights over the "good seat" in the car!

Remember to smile today! And thanks for stopping by!

Holiday Tags

The turkey had settled in. I was feeling lazy, so I decided to check Facebook. Mistake #1!

Now, it was not Facebook's fault, but my laptop started acting "funny". Hearing the primal scream, my DH rushed in to see what was the matter.

Yes, dear friends, I had the black screen of death.

**sigh**

After many, many hours with Sony online support (useless), DH managed to get it operating again! He is my computer Superman! XOXO

The irony of the whole situation is that Santa was bringing me an external hard drive for Christmas! Needless to say, that was a gift that got opened early!

As I was sitting here waiting for all my files to back-up, I decided to pop out a few little gift cards. You know, the kind you just put on a gift bag. I thought they would be perfect for those teacher and bus driver gifts.

I am happy to report I used a rainbow of product to make these tags! All of the paper is SU, but the stamps are CTMH, TAC and SU. It is like one big happy family in my craft room!

I hope all my American friends enjoyed their Holiday weekend! Thanks for stopping by!

Magic Moments

I meant to post this over the weekend, but instead I spent hours upon hours watching my son's baseball tournament. It was fun, don't get me wrong...but after game 3 on Saturday I was DONE! :) They ended the season undefeated though! So fun!

We are lucky here, as the parents are actually supportive of the children on BOTH teams! It was so enjoyable to cheer along with the opposing team when a player who struggled all season made his or her first hit/catch. In my opinion, that is what kids' sports should be about...celebrating the accomplishments of the children no matter how big or small and fostering an environment where they develop self-esteem and healthy living habits through sports. I hope we can find such a program when we move back "home" next year.

Sorry for the soapbox! ;) Now, on to the layouts!!

(For my new blog readers...I know you may think my husband and I are a product of the 3M company. I assure you...in real life we are in fact human and NOT post-it notes! I just don't feel comfy with posting my kids pics on the internet...call me overprotective!! I know, I know...)

First one is of my kids' soccer pics from 2007. (Yes, 2007 is not a typo!)

Paper is Creative Memories. Cricut carts used are Street Sign, Opposites Attract, & Sports Mania.

Next is a layout of my daughter and our furbabies on the day we planted the spring flowers.

Paper is Magic Moments by CTMH.

No update for my Paper Challenge!! These layouts were counted previously!!

Are you calling me a slacker now? LOL Hurry! It is your chance to catch up!! You can do it!! Paper hoarders unite!! :)

As always, thanks for visiting!!

Boom-Di-Ada!

I LOVE this paper set by CTMH! It was just perfect for these pictures of my little girl, who is a total ham! (In case you could not tell...)

All supplies CTMH except for the vellum, which is SU. Thanks for looking!

Zoo Pages

It was an interesting weekend. DH came home on Friday and surprised the kids! He just showed up at the bus stop and was waiting when they got off the bus! Adorable...

The Cherry Blossoms have bloomed! Cherry Blossom viewing, or Hanami, is a BIG deal here. We planned to go out on Sunday, but woke up to 3 inches of snow. In April. Snow. Ugh. So, we hunkered down and I got to craft!

I have cropped 28 pages this month. I know! I am so proud of myself! I must admit though, after reading how far behind everyone else is, it makes me feel better! At least I am not alone!

Here are the pages I am going to share with you today. They were taken during a trip to the Morioka Zoo in Spring of 2007.

Paper: Expedition (CTMH), Making Memories solids and Wildlife line

Accessories: CTMH stickease, Cricut Zooballoo cartridge, SU corner punch

Thanks for looking! Hope you have a great week!

They are Melting...Promise!

I am almost afraid to post this card, for fear of massive snowballs being thrown in my direction. I know, I know...I have made a lot of snowmen this winter! In my defense, we do get a lot of snow and I need to do something to embrace it!

I pinky promise...this is the last one...

So, the criss-cross card. This is my first one. I know what you are thinking. And no, I don't live under a rock! I am not sure why I waited so long to make one! It was a blast to make! Thanks Jen for inspiring me!

Stamps: Snowy Friends (CTMH), Priceless (SU)

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Red Riding Hood Red, Ski Slope DSP (yes, I have used this a lot, too and it is almost gone!), GP White

Ink: Red Riding Hood Red, Nick Bantock Lamp Black, Copics (B60, Y17, Y15, YG95, YG91, R37, BG10, 0)

Accessories: SU Red Riding Hood Ribbon, Making Memories Snowflake Brads, Stickles

Thanks for looking!

SBG1 Challenge #5~The Pink Laundry

Yippee! It is my turn to host a challenge! So here it is:

Please make a card based on your inspiration after reading about Stephanie Vest and her "flair" for design! Yes, she had a bright pink laundry room complete with a zebra print ceiling!

Stephanie lost her battle with cancer on December 3rd. She leaves behind a husband and 3 young children. Her blog has continued on and people have posted how her story has inspired their lives. If you would like, you are welcome to post your creation there as well!

I will now share with you what I created and posted on her blog last month. It was incredibly well received, which always makes you feel warm inside!



Stamps: February Word Puzzle (CTMH), Wild About You (SU)
Paper: PTI White, Pixie Pink (SU), Black (CTMH), Zebra Print (Creative Memories)
Ink: Pixie Pink, Versafine Black
Accessories: CTMH Ribbon, Rhinestones. Clear EP

For this card, I used the black with a white core so I could sand it down. I felt like it was too stark next to the zebra print to have something totally solid and it added a "rugged" feel to the card. Keeping with that theme, I distressed the edges of the black layer on the image to give it dimension. I also used clear EP and heat embossed the heart.

Once you complete the challenge, please post it on your blog and leave me a comment with the link. I will use the random number thingy (is that word?) to pick a winner!! The challenge will end February 19th at 9 pm Japan time!! (ROTFL...now figure that one out! We are 14 hours ahead of EST.)

The prize?? Have I left out the best part? :) A canister of Holiday House Felt Winter pieces by American Crafts, some Japanese treats, and some BLING!!! Don't get too excited...it is card bling, but bling none-the-less!

Ok, girls, get creating! I cannot see what you come up with to help honor this wonderful lady's memory.

Valentini, anyone?

Don't be overly surprised...it is not even Valentine's Day and I already have a second Valentine's Day card posted! Wonders will never cease!!

It is hard not to love StampingBella! This is one of her martini inspired images. It is hard to see, but I put liquid glass on the drink.

Stamps: Valentini (StampingBella.com), CTMH February Word Puzzle
Paper: Basic Gray, GP White, Pretty in Pink, SU Ski Slope DSP
Ink: Nick Bantock Lamp Black (Ranger), Versafine Black, Copics (RV10, RV11, C1, R37) Silver gel pen
Accessories: Cuttlebug D'Vine Swirls, CTMH Rhinestones, Stickles, M's fibers, Liquid Glass

Thanks for looking! :)

Confessions

I have a confession to make...I don't post my creations immediately after I do them. I actually "save" them up a little so I can space out my posts. I am never sure how my week is going to go, therefore, I may not get time to sit at my craft table.

See, I hoard my projects as well as paper (**pretty, pretty paper...how I miss buying you**). Call Dr. Phil. I need an intervention! :)

The reason I feel compelled to make such an admission is because Dawn actually posted a card very similar to this one! Great minds think alike...but I did not want my "Invisible Friends" to think I had blatantly CASED her. :)

My inspiration for this card came from many different sources. First and foremost, my DH bought me these Nesties for Christmas so I was so excited to try them out! Then, I wanted to use up my SU DSP (see, trying not to hoard!). Finally, I wanted to try out a stamp set I had yet to use.

I pulled out this CTMH set, which I have had for a long time. The thing is, I have a love/hate relationship with acrylic stamps. I love that I can see through them, but I typically hate the impression I get from them. I was pleasantly surprised with the success I had! Maybe I just figured it out!

Hope everyone is doing well and having a fabulous weekend!

Stamps: Snow Friends (CTMH)

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Red Riding Hood Red, Ski Slope (SU)

Ink: Nick Bantock Lamp Black by Ranger, Copics (B60, YG95, YG91, YR15, Y17, R37, BG72, BG10, 0)

Accessories: White Grosgrain Ribbon (CTMH), Hodgepodge Hardware (SU), Fun Flock, Stickles, Nestabilities Labels 2

CASE of Myself

Just in case you don't know what CASE stands for, it means to "Copy and Selectively Edit". Papercrafters use this term when they copy someone else's creation. I just wanted to clarify that because as I read my post title I thought it sounded as if I thought a lot of myself...like I am egotistical or something! So...NO! I am not! :) But I did really like my Pretty Princess card!

Now that we have that out of the way...I needed yet another birthday card for a little girl. This one is for a soon-to-be 4 year old. The wrapping paper covering her gift has Fairies on it, so I thought this set would be perfect!

I used the same layout (SC183), but made a couple of tweaks. This is a fast card to make and I love how it comes together with the Cuttlebug embossing folders.

Stamps: Fairy Nice (SU)
Ink: Vick Bantock Lamp Black by Ranger, Copics to color the image
Paper: Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery, Lavender Lace, GP White, Going Gray
Accessories: CB Embossing Folders (Swiss Dots, D'vine Swirls), CTMH Grosgrain Ribbon, Stickles

Thanks for stopping by!

SBG1 Challenge #2

Ah, another challenge card! I am really having fun with these!

So, this one can be found on Heather's blog. Our basic instructions were to create a card using Regal Rose, Certainly Celery, ribbon, brads, and anything BUT a floral image! Thankfully, my oldest daughter had a birthday party to attend today, so I made this card for the birthday girl who was turning 7.

Stamps: Pretty Princess (SU)

Ink: Vick Bantock Lamp Black by Ranger, Copics to color the image

Paper: Regal Rose, Certainly Celery, GP White, Going Gray

Embellishments: CTMH White Grosgrain Ribbon, SU Rhinestone Brads, Swiss Dots and Distressed Striped Cuttlebug folders

I took my inspiration from SCS Sketch Challenge 183.

Hope you are having a great weekend! I hope to get some additional cards made this weekend, or perhaps some scrapbook pages!!