Thursday, April 10, 2008

Sneak Peek NO. 3

Hi everyone, hope you are having a great day!! Our weather is icky here, and said to be getting worse, so I am trying to hurry. Whatever storms that passed through OK and TX last night, are headed here, so we are braced for a big one. Actually I have to be honest, my DH and I are the most unprepared people in the world. I don't even know where the flashlight is, so after posting this, I am going on a hunt for it, and getting my closet ready in case we have a tornado warning!! I am a worry wort when it comes to the weather so I will probably be freaked out all day!!
Anyway, this is a sneak peek of one of the three new sets being released Friday at Paper Pretties. She is perfect for mother's day and so versatile and easy to color. This is just one of the many sentiments that comes with her, isn't she lovely!! She looks like the kind of Mom I want to be, totally together and happy!! I colored Lexi with my SU markers in Real Red and Pretty in Pink. Here hair is Creamy Carmel and Chocolate Chip. I colored her pearls and earrings with a red glitter pen and the tray was colored with a silver one. The SCS challenge for today was to use eyelets in a creative way, so I used them to create my background. I started with a piece of Loves Me DSP (retired) from SU and used my large eyelet whole punch to punch out holes in a 3-2-3-2-3 pattern going down the card. The eyelets I used are also retired SU and I alternated them in Real Red and Pretty in Pink. The ribbon, also retired(grrrr SU!!!), was tied in a big red bow. I cut out Lexi with the out of the box technique so here tray sticks out from the matting. I had a hard time picking which sentiment, but I really love this one so I went with it. I am sure some lucky Mommy will be receiving this this Mother's day, I just don't know who yet, maybe it will be you!! Don't forget to come tomorrow night to our Paper Pretties Pajama Party. It starts at 8est(7cst) and is sure to be a hoot!! We launched our new website yesterday, so you should go and look around, check out the gallery, and pop into the forum and say hi!! As always, have a great day, stay safe and dry, and thank you so much for stopping by!!
stamps-Lexi Baking
paper-Pretty in Pink, Real Red, Whisper White and Loves Me DSP
ink-Basic Black
tools-SU markers, red and silver glitter pens, red organdy, flower eyelets

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Check Me Out!!

Look who's the featured stamper on Queen Kat Design's blog!! I think you guessed it by now!!!! I also received two RAK's in the mail today. The first is from Carolina(craftycaro) congratulating me for winning the guest designer challenge for My Favorite things. Isn't it so super cute!! thanks Carolina.
The second is from Juanita(schmoopie). I had inquired on here about starting an RAK group, and she was one of the few wonderful people that responded. Ever since then, I have been sending her RAK's just because. Isn't she a sweetie!!

That's all for now!! Hope you are having a great day!!!

Simply Special Sneak Peek No.2!!!

Hey everyone, hope all is well where you are!!! This is day two of my sneak peeks for Paper Pretties, and I couldn't be more excited. We even launched our new and improved website today!!YAYYY!!! So if you haven't checked it out, what are you waiting for!!LOL Paper Pretties will be releasing 3 new stamp sets on Friday at our Prettie Pajama Party!! The fun starts at 8EST(7CST) so be sure to be there to chat, stamp, win prizes, and of course SHOP!! My card today was made using the new set Simply Special. I stamped it on watercolor paper and colored it in with my SU markers and aquapainter. I highlighted some areas with my white gel pen and then outline the whole image with my Prismacolor cool grey marker. I wanted to participate in the sketch challenge over on SCS, but don't have any kind of oval cutter yet(got an email today saying my ovals were postal, yayy!!), so I had to improvise. I used my circle Nestabilities and cut out two circle from Mellow Moss, Always Artichoke, Cranberry Crisp and Recollections DSP. Then I layered them together to form an "oval like shape". I think it works. I put three organdy ribbons around it and tied bows, added three brads in each corner, and then stamped the sentiment from this set at the bottom. At the last minute, I decided to sponge the edges to soften up the Very Vanilla. Well, that is all for me now!! More sneak peeks later and I hope to see you at the party on Friday!! Thanks for looking and have a great day!!
stamps- Simply Special by Paper Pretties
paper-Mellow Moss, Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla, Cranberry Crisp and Recollections DSP
ink- Black Stazon and Cranberry Crisp
tools- Cuttlebug, Nestabilities, SU markers, aqupainter, wine, moss, and cream narrow organdy ribbon, brads, white gel pen, Prismacolor cool grey marker

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

A Prettie Sneak Peek!!

This is my second week as a guest designer for Paper Pretties and I am proud to say that we are having a Prettie Pajama Party on Friday night(April 11th) where three new stamp sets will be revealed!! The PJ party will be hosted on the Paper Pretties forum by the fabulous Charmaine Ikach. Starting at 8EST(7CST) she will post one challenge every hour for three hours. You will have 45minutes to complete your card and get it posted to the forum. It is sure to be lots of fun!! And just so you know, if you are a little intimidated by the whole challenge thing, just come hang out and chat with us, but we would love to have you there no matter what!! Visit Christie's blog for some more sneak peeks and more info about the party, challenges, rules, and PRIZES(woohoo!!)!! Be sure to visit the other Prettie Girls this week for some more sneak peeks!!
On to my card!! I used Julee Tilman's mojo Monday sketch for this card as well as, the SCS color challenge for today(now come on, you KNOW I didn't pick those colors myself!!) I stamped the watering can from one of the new sets coming out on Friday with Black Stazon on Whisper White. I colored it in using my SU markers and aquapainter and then covered the whole thing with crystal effects. The paper is from the SU Prints Pack, and I have almost gone through the whole thing-the horror!! I was in a ribbon layering mood due to today's TLC challenge, so I used some wide red grosgrain, navy narrow organdy, and some white taffeta. I thought it needed a little something, so I added the brads to the top corners, the other three were part of the sketch.
stamps- Paper Pretties
paper- Real Red, Night of Navy, Glorious Green, Whisper White and Prints Pack
ink-Black Stazon
tools- SU markers, navy organdy, red grosgrain, white tafetta, crystal effects, white brads, Petalloo flowers
My second card, because let's face it, who needs sleep(LOL), was made using the color challenge and Beate's weekend sketch challenge. I always forget about that one til it is too late to get in her drawing, but I loved the sketch, so I wanted to try it. The main image is from the SU set Pun Fun and was colored in using my SU markers and Aquapainter. I then highlighted certain areas with my glitter pen. To make it shiny, I covered the whole image with crystal effects. I punched out the sentiment with my small oval punch, and layered it with an oval punched out with the large one(Night of Navy). I added the brads, and then thought it looked kind of dull, so I added the dots. I liked the way they looked on the Navy, so I did it on all the navy cardstock for this card. Cute huh!! For embellishments, I added the red gingham with some white taffeta, and some red brads. The image and layers were cut out using my Cuttlebug and Nesties. I got the image from my pal Jodi(kharmagirl) cause she is SOOOO sweet!!! Thanks Jodi!!
BTW: I need someone to send this too, so if you have a little guy having a birthday or one who has been sick and needs a pick me up, let me know, and I will get it right out!! I have sent out 8RAK's this week, and would love to keep going!!
stamps-Pun Fun
paper-Night of Navy, Real Red, Glorious Green, Whisper White, and Prints Pack
ink-Black Stazon
tools- SU markers, glitter pen, red gingham, crystal effects, white tafetta, red brads, Cuttlebug, Nesties

Monday, April 7, 2008

Layered Ribbon and a Sketch!!

Did you know that they have a sketch challenge for My Favorite Things?? Well, they do!!! It is hosted by Cindy Haffner and you can find all the details in the MFT members forum. I don't know about you, but I sometimes get overwhelmed by the amount of stuff I just had to have!! This sketch challenge helps me to get out my MFT stamps and actually use them!! I also wanted to participate in the technique lovers challenge which was to stack ribbon. Easy Peasy!! I started with this yummy paper from My Mind's Eye. I stamped the main image from my Ride em Cowgirl set on both sides of the my DP. I cut out the skirt on the printed side and the sky on the reverse side. I then colored in what was left with my SU markers. I put some crystal effects on the boots to make them shiny!! The rope is hemp twine rolled up and attached with a a glue dot. I layered it on Really Rust and Chocolate Chip. The bigger panel is Chocolate Chip and the reverse side of the DP. I added a row of brads down the side. The sentiment was stamped in Chocolate Chip on Very Vanilla and punched out with my small oval punch. I added two more brads, because lets face it, at this point, what are two more gonna hurt!! The rest is pretty easy to figure out!! I will saw that I distressed almost all the edges and sponged everything with Chocolate chip to soften the edges. Don't you just love that big flower!! It is a Bazil bling blossom, the rust colored one is from Petaloo and the flower brad is something I picked up at Archivers(and I have no idea who makes it, sorry!!)
That's it for me now!! I still haven't got my house in order from my weekend long party with my girls, and DH had me make chili last night for the guys at his work, so my kitchen is horrid!! Thanks for looking and have a great day!! Don't forget to read my last post and send an RAK to Faith and her Mom, they are in need of a boost!!
stamps-Ride em Cowgirl
paper- Chocolate Chip, Really Rust, Very Vanilla, My Mind's Eye
ink-Chocolate Chip
tools- SU markers, flower brads, Bazil bling blossoms, Petaloo flowers, vanilla wide grosgrain, chocolate tafetta, hemp twine, oval punched, crystal effects, pewter brads

Sunday, April 6, 2008

What a Great Day!!!

A couple of days ago I made a card for the My Favorite Things guest designer challenge. I called it Out of the Box, because it was a stretch for me!! I loved what I had done, but it was way different from what I normally do. The contest was posted on Wednesday night, and the results were posted on Saturday, and to my surprise.......I WON!!!!!YAYYYYYY!!! I have since recieved some of the sweetest emails and pm's on SCS from people wishing me well and telling me how happy they are for me. I can't wait to recieve their next new release stamps and get to post with the fabulous design team. Thank you to all of you that took the time to send me a message and congratulate me. Your words of kindness and sincere well wishes mean so much to me!!

MOM!!! I did it!!!YAYYYYY!!!

On to the good stuff, a card for today's Featured Stamper Challenge. I had my two friends staying here this weekend with me and I wasn't able to stamp all day yesterday. I am so happy Spring is here(at least for now), but those girls ran me ragged. I called them my friends because they are not technically my nieces, one is my cousin-in-law and the other is my friend's daughter(who is also a cousin to my nieces but on the other side). They wanted to match, so I had to buy them new shirts that match(thank goodness for Wal-mart clearance racks!!) Here is a picture of them!! Anyway, this week's FS over on SCS is and amazing stamper named Kristi, aka Mommyluvs2stamp. She has a fabulous gallery and as soon as I saw this card, I knew what I wanted to do. Now, since this is a CASE, I did have to change it a little. I moved the sentiment up, added a bunch of layers(ya know how I love them), changed the colors and embellishments(added a bunch, cause ya know how I love them too!!). I tried to keep the same layout, and use the same images, but with the addition of all the layers, I had to move my sentiment. I made this card to send to Faith, aka Markie's Mom. If you have been around SCS, you have most likely seen her work. She has a huge fan base, including me, and a fantastic ability to tell stories. She posts one almost everyday on her blog, and usually they are hysterically funny. Here lately though, they haven't been so. Faith's mom was hospitialized recently with several things wrong with her, the worst being Luekemia. For all the details(which I haven't commited to memory because I have a hard time thinking about stuff like this), you can visit her blog. In the mean time, Faith has found out that she is not in remission anymore for Ovarian cancer and is having to under go treatment as well. I figure, if anyone can use a pick me up right now, it is Faith and her mom. Here is a link to the thread started by our FS hostess Beth requesting RAK's for Faith and her mom. If you read through it a little bit, Faith has posted her address. Please, join me in showering Faith and her Mom(and family) with love and support!!
stamps-Women Of Life by PTI
paper-Garden Green, Rose Red, So Saffron, Whisper White
ink-Garden Green, Rose Red and So Saffron
tools-clear dew drops, clear page pebbles, white brads, green organdy, pomegranate stitched ribbon, white tafetta, spiral clip

Saturday, April 5, 2008

Inspiration Challenge

Saturday's inspiration challenge over on SCS is this unique bedding by Boodalee. I don't normally do this, but I am going to post a picture of the bedding so that you will see what I was inspired by. Now at first glance, you are gonna think I am so far out in left field it is ridiculous, but remember, it is inspirational, open to interpretation!!! At least that is what I keep telling myself. Do you see it yet...keep looking...there on the head board??? It's a little red moped!!! I don't have a moped stamp, but I automatically thought of the bicycle stamp from Time For You from SU. I colored it in with my markers and paired it with Soft Sky, Ruby Red, and Chocolate Chip. I am on a satin ribbon kick, so I added that on to. The sentiment is a rub on from SU. It was in the Love and Happiness rubons that were offered as a Sellabration set. My piercing looks a little wonky in the picture, but not so much in real life, oh well, what can you do!!! This may be one of the simplest cards that I have made in a long time, but I am so pleased with it!! Isn't that image the cutest!!
That is all for me now, I am exhausted and need to get some sleep before my nieces wake me up in the AM. Thanks for looking and for all your support!! Have a great day!!
stamps-Time For You
paper- Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip, Soft Sky DSP and CS, and Whisper White
ink-black stazon
tools-chocolate chip ribbon, rub ons, paper piercer, SU markers and prismacolor cool grey marker

Friday, April 4, 2008

Always in Pomegranate

Today's limited supplies challenge over on SCS was to make a card with only one color and white. No other colors allowed!! WOW, that's a tough one!!! My cousin-in-law Mallory was here last weekend(and will be back on Saturday) and she told me that she wanted me to make her a birthday card with hearts on it. I asked her what color and she said pink, do you think this will work!! I started with a Purely Pomegranate base and layered it with Pearlescent White that I just got from the Verve Visual store, and then another layer of Purely Pomegranate. On that layer I stamped the branch from the Always set in Versamark all around the edge and embossed it in white. I then stamped one heart from the Always set in PP on white and another with Versamark on PP and embossed it in white. I cut both of them out and layered them with dimensionals. I took some of my stylized silver hardware and embossed it in white. Other than that, it is pretty easy to figure out, but if you have any questions, feel free to ask!! Thanks for looking and have a great day!!
stamps-Always and Small Script
paper-Purely Pomegranate and Pearlescent White
ink-Purely Pomegranate and Versamark
tools-white brads, white EP, pomegranate satin ribbon, stylized silver hardware

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Out of the Box

Well, not technically, but this is wayyyyy out of my box. I wanted to participate in the My Favorite Things guest designer contest, and decided to challenge myself personally too. The MFT challenge was to use a background stamp for something other than a background. I used the Filigree stamp from SU to create the wallpaper for my yoga girl. Cool, but very hard to cut out. My own personal challenge was to use this piece of DP that has been sitting next to my desk forever. I have all my DP in a 12x12 milk crate file holder thingy(very technical aren't I). So I pulled my colors from it. I used More Mustard(I haven't used that in years, literally), Ruby Red and Sage Shadow(gasppp!!). I stamped the yoga girl three times, once on vanilla, once on the DP(by BoBunny) and the final time on the wallpaper I created by stamping my background stamp in RR on MM. I cut out the shirt, and the wallpaper and paper pieced them, and then colored the rest of the image in. The Polka dot DP is from the SU Ginger Blossom pack and the ribbon at the bottom is from the SU Rustic Retreat ribbon original. I colored a white Heidi Swapp flower with my Sage Shadow marker and then added the sentiment panel. Well, I hope you like it, and I hope they do to. I am really pleased for two reasons-1. I used the dp I said I would 2. I used colors I never touch. Thanks for looking and have a great day!!
stamps-Serenity Now and Filigree
paper- More Mustard, Ruby Red, Sage Shadow, Very Vanilla, Ginger Blossom and Bo Bunny DP
ink-Ruby Red and Black Stazon
tools-SU markers, Rustic Retreat SURO, Earth Element Brads, Heidi Swapp flower, circle punches, scallop punch, word window punch

This second card is from Julie(jkstieber). I hang out with her in the Person Below Me thread over on SCS and the other day she was having a bad day, so I sent her a card to cheer her up. She sent me this one back to tell me thanks and that she was doing better!! Thanks Julie!!

My New Verve

I just got my first order from Verve Visual yesterday, and I was anxious to get started with their stamps. I have been admiring them from afar, and decided to jump in. If I had waited a few days I could have got a 15%discount, what a bummer!! Oh well, I still love what I got, even if it wasn't on sale!! VV is having a guest designer sketch challenge, so I knew as soon as I got my stamps that I wanted to participate. I am not crazy about this card, but I do like it. It is also for the Ways to Use it challenge over on SCS, which is to use rub ons on your card. The sentiment is my rub on, btw!! I used one of my favorite color combos-River Rock, Basic Black and Whisper White. I stamped the images from the VV set Serenity in River Rock then used the outline stamp in Versamark and embossed it with black embossing powder. I have had a nasty headache for a couple of days, so this was really hard for me to concentrate on, if you know what I mean. I think the rest is pretty easy to figure out, but if you do have questions about anything, don't hesitate to ask. I am gonna go find someone to send this too in the Need a Lift forum!! Have a great day and thanks for looking!!
stamps-Serenity
paper-Basic Black, River Rock, Whisper White, and Ginger Blossom DSP
ink-River Rock and Versamark
tools-black organdy, black brads, black ep, SU Love &Happiness Rub ons