HYCCT Faves

Edited to add: I am a bit behind in my email, and I just read the update that Katie Renz (of the "Swimming for Katie" blog hop) passed away yesterday morning.  Such horrible news.  When will cancer stop stealing people away when they are needed here? 

The donation link on my sidebar and the fundraising items at i {heart} papers are still live-all the information is here. 

Sympathy cards can be sent to:
The Renz Family
PO Box 5913
Bellingham, WA 98227-5913
For the extra cruel twist that cancer likes to throw in, all of Katie's boys will be having birthdays soon: the twins, Nate and Will, will be turning 6 on Nov. 19th and Hunter will be 12 on Dec. 1.  Her husband Kevin's birthday is November 17.  It has been suggested that we try to shower them with cards, just like Katie would do, so if you are so inclined, maybe you have an extra birtday card you could drop in the mail. Now that y'all have piles of kleenex in front of your monitor, I'll return to my original post: 
 
As promised, here are a few of my HYCCT favorites.  The theme for today is "friends are fabulous."

 

Angela of The Paper Cupboard sent me this fantastic stamp for my birthday. For some reason she thinks I have some sort of "keep calm" obsession.  Ok, so maybe I do have a wee bit of an obsession, and that was before I stamped it in pink.  Love!  The background paper is from the old Amuse website.  The new paper is reversed (pink on white) and I must admit I don't like it as much as the solid color.  A little bit of twine from my pal Emily of Art from the Heart was the perfect touch!

Ang was also kind enough to share one her recent prize packages that included some Anna Griffin stickers and papers.  I have three words for you: FUZZY.  PINK.  HOUNDSTOOTH.  (except blogger is telling me it should be hounds tooth so I guess that would be four words, but I don't think I agree with blogger.  SO THERE!)

Book Report Time!

Book #42: The best thing I can say about this book is that it was the first book I borrowed from my local library on my Kindle!  I really thought it might go somewhere, but it didn't.  Or maybe it did go somewhere and I didn't follow it. Either way, I'm not getting anywhere.  Amazon Link

Book #43: First of all, this book is about Stiltsville (a town in Florida made up of houses on stilts surround by water) in only the most tangential way.  I was really intrigued in how one would live on a house on the water (even if it was fiction).  Second of all, not only was there minimal talk of water houses, instead it turned out to be a (spoiler warning!)  HIP!!!  (Husband in Peril, not to be confused with PIP [pet/pregnancy/parent in peril]).  I can understand how someone would like this book, but it wasn't a subject matter I needed to be reading about at this time.   Amazon Link

Book #44: FINALLY!  I think it's been at least five books since I've had one that I would actually recommend, and recommend this one I will (says yoda).  I like Bill Bryson (loved A Short History of Nearly Everything) and this book was such a treat to read!  Every page had some interesting nugget of information I was sharing with Mr Corgi.  Plus a book that you can pick up any page at any time (although I recommend them in sequential order in the evening during a hot bath) with many discussions about word origins and the British!  What more could a gal ask for?  Amazon Link

Right now I'm on page 400 of The Passage, which means I'm....halfway through.  I've gotten two good reviews of it and enjoyed most of the first half, but it's slowed down quite a bit and I'm still not sure I want to dedicate another week of my life to second half.  Decisions, decisions....

I did it!

If you've been wondering where I've been the last week or so, here is your answer:

Yup, I finished a card for all 33 of the Hope You Can Cling To challenges.

I used stamps from Eat Cake Graphics, Market Street Stamps, Waltzingmouse, Unity, Stampin' Up, Kraftin' Kimmie, PTI, Amuse, Sugar Nellie, There She Goes, The Cat's Pajamas, Maya Road, Skipping Stones, Hero Arts, WPlus9, and Rubber Soul, along with a few items cut with the Silhouette.

Pattern paper includes October Afternoon, Pink Paislee, Anna Griffin (thanks, Ang!), Stampin' Up, Webster's Pages, Aspire Petallics, Amuse, My Mind's Eye, and S.E.I.

Other items used: copics, watercolors, ribbon, twine, foam tape, PTI dies, Amuse impression plates, self-adhesive pearls, clear embossing powder, white embossing powder, nestabilities, glossy accents, homemade chocolate chip cookies, and the latest season of Psych on netflix.

Rather than posting 33 pictures here, I'll just direct you to my SCS Gallery for all of the cards, and I also plan on posting some of my favorites throughout the week. 

Now I need a nap!

PIckled Tink for HYCCT!

I was so honored when Lisa Lara, the newest member of the Splitcoast Dirty Dozen, asked me to make a sample for her Hope You Can Cling To Pickled Tink challenge, that of course I would have said "yes" no matter what the challenge.  The fact that the challenge was to make a punny CAS card (with a touch of pink) just sweetened the deal!  I started going through my stamp index, thinking maybe a bra card or a "hang in there" pun, when I came to Eat Cake Graphics's Marmie Decides to Leave, which led to the perfect card to sum up my feelings about cancer:

I printed the sentiment onto Soft Stone cardstock, stamped and colored Miss Marmie, then added a strip of Echo Park Dots & Stripes paper.  I do hope you'll play along in the challenge, or any of the HYCCT challenges!  

I've been falling behind on my book reports (and blog posts), so here's some more catch up....

Book #39: Just my Type was another birthday gift.  It is a book about fonts, which sort of made me giddy.  A review blurb on the Omnivoracious blog said it made him change the way he looks at words...ok, I think that's taking it a bit too far.  I will say it made me appreciate Comic Sans just a wee, little, tiny bit (I still don't think it should be on high school i.d. badges, but no one asked me for graphic design input on those).  I'd say this would be a library loan: fun and entertaining to read, but no need to keep it on your bookshelf.  Amazon Link.

Book #40: I had recently read The First Husband and enjoyed it, so I tried The Divorce Party by the same author, which didn't really have the same punch as Husband.  Probably another library loan book.  Amazon Link.

Book #41: This was the most recent book I've been reading to Mr Corgi as he drives.  Although a short book, I must admit it was extremely fascinating and we both have a hankering to go see the H1, H2, H3, and H4 in England.  Well written and researched, I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a bit of science or history.

What are you reading?  I have some of your recent suggestions on my wish list at the library...someone else must have read your comments and scooped them up first!  I must be quicker this time. 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see some of your cards in the HYCCT gallery!

Sometimes there's nothing else to say

This is for Bev's HYCCT "Looking in on You" challenge to make a window card. Sometimes there's nothing else to say except life isn't fair and sometimes it just sucks, and usually dealing with cancer is one of those times. The inside of the card has one of my husband's quotes: "Sometimes you're the windshield; sometimes you're the bug."  (Alternate version: "Sometimes you get the elevator, sometimes you get the shaft.")

If this card seems familiar, I made a red version a while back for the Market Street blog.   This is some new Aspire Petallics shimmery paper I got--thanks for everyone's suggestions on where to find some metallic paper.  I will definitely be checking out Hobby Lobby and discount stores soon.  This Aspire stuff is pretty, but also pretty thin (almost copy weight).  So the good news is the Silhouette cuts through it like butter, bad news is you couldn't make a card base out of it.  This set uses Market Street's Gone Campin' set and if you've been eyeing up some Market Street, this week is definitely the time to do so!  Be sure to check out the blog for the newest anniversary deal AND sign up for the new "neighborhood" ning forum for an added bonus. 

This second card is for Wanda's "Hang in There" challenge. I colored and paper pieced this sweet little Sugar Nellie stamp, who now looks a bit tipsy when she didn't before.  I took advantage of the two sided Amuse paper so she'd have a night sky background color.  Although now I'm thinking I should have stamped some stars back there.  But I didn't and I can't because (YES!) I mailed off 12 cards to MD Anderson yesterday.  The postal worker only looked at me a little askance when she saw I had written "LOVE ENCLOSED PLEASE DO NOT BEND" on the envelope.  They should add that to their "anything potentially fragile, perishable, liquid, or hazardous" question.  I can't tell you how much mailing that package helped lift my mood during a difficult month and I would highly recommend playing along!

Only one book today since it's almost dinner time, and don't mock me for liking it!

It's the newest Chet and Bernie mystery!  As told by Chet the dog (aka "Chet the Jet")!  How could I not love this entire series?  Oh, except for the end of the one book where Chet has a suspicious lump which is TOTALLY NOT COOL!  Why would Spencer Quinn do that?  I think he got told to wise up, though, because within the first couple pages of the next one the vets calls and everything is ok. WHICH IS HOW IT SHOULD BE.  I would definitely recommend this series if you like (a) mysteries (b) dogs or (c) dogs and mysteries.  Amazon Link.

Hello. Is it me you're looking for?

So sometimes I get something stuck in my head (like that Lionel Richie song that's in your head now--you're welcome!). The only problem is when it gets stuck in my head wrong. Like when I read the comments from this post, I had it in my head that my pal Lindsey asked for a phone instead of my pal Jessi.  So when Lindsey won some blog candy from me, I though I should make a phone card and sent it along.  DOH!  Maybe I'll make an Angry Birds card and send to Jessi, then Jessi and Lindsey can switch.  ANYWAY, here is the card!

Get it?!?!  Red phone!?!  You da BOMB!?!?  Hahahaha.  I laughed myself silly over that one. This was a Silhouette Studio file that I modified a bit to make it into a card.  I l.o.v.e. that DCWV metallic paper--does anyone know where I can buy something similar by the sheet?  Or at least in a pack with all metallic paper?

I also have been hard at work on some more Hope You Can Cling to Challenges.  Here's one based on Jimmi's sketch challenge.

I just love Eat Cake Graphic's A Scarf for Ferguson.  The holiday paper is from My Mind's Eye, and Ferguson's scarf was fussy cut from Amuse gingham paper.  I also used Amuse's "cardstock" vellum to stamp the sentiment onto. This vellum isn't really all that vellum-y, but you can at still see a hint of the gingham behind it.  The sentiment is from The Cat's Pajamas.

Ok, so now it's time for some book reports. I think I may spread them out over the next few days so this doesn't turn into a massive post! (click on the book to go to its Amazon page)

Book #36: This one was on my birthday wishlist because it was supposed to be THE book for any child of the 80's.  My mom gifted the Kindle book to me, which we both thought was so cool for her to do.  As for the book, it was definitely entertaining for a sci-fi book, but a little bit too action-adventure for me.  Plus I really didn't get a lot of the references.  I think what they meant to say was it was for any super geeky video-game loving child of the 80's.  I'm pretty sure the only video games I played in the 80's were Pong and Oregon Trail.  Oh, yeah, and Number Crunchers when our teachers were trying to be "educational" during our one hour of computer time every two weeks. I won't tell you not to read, but I'm not sure I'd recommend it.

Book #37: Have you noticed that there's a bit of a fad going on with books about women with some sort of amnesia or dementia? This book falls into that category.  I would recommend Before I go to Sleep before I would recommend this one.  Actually, that statement isn't true, because I would not recommend this one.  At all.  This is a re-enactment of me when I saw this title in my Amazon account:

Ann who? from Steven Castellano on Vimeo.

 And, yes, I am peeing my pants about Arrested Development coming back...in 2013!!

Dude, You Bling.

Two more Hope You Can Cling To cards today! Not only is this first one for Lori's Bling your Cling challenge, but also for Market Street's Special Edition Block Party.  What makes this Block Party so special?
A) It lasts until next Wednesday.
B) You get to vote for the winner.
C) The winner receives a $50 gift certificate to Market Street. Every month.  FOR A YEAR.
D) All of the above!

Plus Saturday marks Market Street's first anniversary, and Angelica has planned LOTS of awesomeness!  Check the MSS blog or my sidebar for more information.  Hope to see you there!

Now onto the card:

I really don't do bling a lot, so I spent some time going through my stamp index trying to find a good stamp to bling.  When I saw the little dots surrounding the compass and then found out that they were the same size as my tiniest bling, well, I just started a-blingin'!  (Ok, technically I stamped the image first, then started a-blingin'.  Well, to be truly technical, I stamped the image first, then colored the bling with a copic, and then started a-blingin'.)  And because I'm the type of gal that plans ahead, I ran out of bling with two dots left.  AAAAAH!!!!  Fortunately at the bottom of my bling pail, I had a small set of A muse bling that had the same size, plus a heart that was just calling to be used as well.

Now we go from pink, clean, and simple to masculine and grungy for Dani's Real Men Wear Pink challenge:

This card was just fun to make.  I used A Muse's Rock Star along with PTI's Grunge Me stamp sets.  Look how crazy I went with the Fresh Ink Slate Blue distressing!  Yes, rock stars may break guitars, but you know you're really a rebel when you have a 1/4 inch streak of blue and you don't start over!

What makes you feel like a rebel stamper?

Hope You Can Cling To Two

No, I couldn't resist the to/two pun in the title. Two more Hope You Can Cling To cards today!  The first one is for Victoria's H.O.P.E. challenge, which stands for Having Only Paper Elements.  Of course I had to dust off the ol' Silhouette for this one!  I was inspired by Ellie Augustin's Green Christmas card on page 8 of Papercrafts Holiday Cards & More (psst...take a gander at page 61 while you're there).   Here's my pink take on it:

I typed each letter individually, made them all 2x2, then welded them together in Silhouette Studio.  I also tilted the O like the iconic LOVE statue.  Cut out from PTI Berry Sorbet (hint: this is a super-thick paper, so I told it to recut 5 times. And yes, I finally broke down and ordered a new blade.)  I adhered it  with foam tape, then added a punched pink ribbon.

The next one is for Lori's Colors of Hope challenge:

You would not believe the number of misstamps this card involved (which is the one issue with one layer cards).  Ugly green ink, crooked trunk, sun stamp falling off the block, inky fingers...arg!  

I'm also entering this one into the One Layer Wonder challenge this week.  The challenge is to make and send a one layer card to someone who needs some support.  Additionally, Jennifer is asking you to make a $5 donation to the cause of your choice.  May I recommend Swimming for Katie?

Hope You Can Cling To

As you may or may not know, breast cancer awareness and finding a cure is a cause very close to my heart.  As one of my friends mentioned to me, October is both a good month and a bad month for those of us touched by breast cancer.  Bad month: I can't even break an egg without being bombarded with pink ribbons.  Good month: the love and support that is shown for fighting cancer: those who have won, those who have lost, those who are helping others to fight.  In that spirit, I've set a goal to try and complete (and mail!) all 33 challenges for Splitcoast's Hope You Can Cling to Challenges.  I've gotten seven done so far, and will be spreading them out through the week.  First up, for Lydia's Pink Critters challenge:

Yes, I've used this stamp and pun before, but it's a favorite of mine.  Quick and easy to make, too: print the sentiment and stamp the chicks across.  While I had this Rubber Soul stamp set out, I saw Mr Lion and thought he would make a perfect circle card for Beate's Encircled with Love challenge:

See how the blossom nestability now looks all mane-y?  Another easy card since I let A Muse's gingham paper do all the heavy lifting.

If these cards put you in a giving spirit, just in case you haven't heard, there are two big blog hops that are trying to raise money for two wonderful stampers.  The first happened this past weekend, but you can still go here to read all about Operation Julie's Smile and donate.  The second is going on today through Wednesday (I'll have a post for it on Wednesday).  You can go here to read about Swimming for Katie and donate.

And then give an extra hug to someone today.