A Color Challenge

Did you have a good holiday weekend? I know I sure did but now it's time to get back to the routine- and that includes stamping! There is a new challenge posted on the There She Goes blog for a chance to win some $ to the There She Goes store! This week's challenge is to use the colors blue, green and red and any neutrals that you'd like. I used my new Birdie Wishes set and made a Christmas card. My DP is from American Crafts and was a perfect color match for this challenge! I added some score lines, a border punch and some fun silver flat-backed baubles.

If you'd like to play along, just create a card or project and upload it to your blog or online gallery and provide a link using the Mr Linky on the There She Goes blog! If you upload to an online gallery, please use the key word TSG31 so we can find your creation!

Did you go shopping on Black Friday? We went out at 4am and found a few good deals. By about 11 am we were done, and I mean done with all of our shopping!! I even got it all wrapped on Saturday! Whew, now I just have to work on my cards. . .

"ornaments"

stamps: Birdie Wishes (TSG)

ink: real red, chocolate chip, night of navy, old olive (SU!)

paper: whisper white, real red, night of navy (SU!); DP (American Crafts); sparkly white paper (Petaloo)

accessories: border punch (Martha Stewart); silver baubles (Crafts Direct); Score-pal; ribbon (Michael's); hemp twine (May Arts)

i {heart} papers Black Friday Sale!

Woot, woot! I LOVE Black Friday shopping, especially when I don't even have to leave the house! Kate at i {heart} papers is having a great sale starting Friday November 27th, 2009 at 12:01am EST. Here are the details:

* FREE SHIPPING on US orders $25 or more ($75 or more for Canadian orders)

* For every $50 spent, you will receive a $10 gift certificate towards a future purchase. Orders do not combine however they are incremental, meaning, a single order of $50 earns you one $10 gift certificate and a single order of $100 earns a $20 reward certificate. You cannot however place one order for $20 and another for $30 and qualify for the gift certificate. Additionally at $45 order and $55 order does not qualify for you for a $20 reward.

* Qualification amount does not include shipping total – it is merchandise total only.

* Following the sale, on December 1, you will receive a one-time use $10 gift certificate for every $50 order you place during the qualification period. Minimum order amount for qualification is $50.

* Gift Certificate purchases are not included in the sale.

* Rewards certificates are valid for redemption beginning December 1, 2009.

* Reward certificates are transferable.

* Sales runs 12:01am (EST) Friday November 27 – 11:59pm (EST) Sunday November 29

* You must enter Coupon code 10for50 at the time of ordering

* Can not be redeemed for cash or combined with any other discounts/coupons.

Now get to shopping!!!

If you are looking for the There She Goes Craftier Taglines Blog Hop post please scroll down!

Craftier Taglines Blog Hop

It's the last day of sneak peeks for There She Goes. All 3 of these great sets will be available on Saturday after the release party! I hope you came from Faith's blog but if you didn't, you should start at the There She Goes blog so you don't miss any of the great inspiration. Today's featured set is called Craftier Taglines. It is a follow up to the popular There She Goes set Crafty Taglines! I just love the witty little sentiments in this set. I used one here as my focal point.There is a lot of layers and texture on this card. The little pom pom trim is from May Arts and notice the straight pin in the bow? I bought a whole box of these pretty pearl pins in the quilting department so they will be making many appearances on my cards!

Thanks for stopping by and now hop on over to visit Holly and her creative inspiration! Don't forget to leave a comment for each of the Trendsetters and then add your name to the Mr Linky on the There She Goes blog for your chance to win a Craftier Taglines set of your own! Also, join us tomorrow night in the There She Goes forum for the release party chat from 6-8 PM (PT).

"stamp"

stamps: Craftier Taglines (There She Goes)

ink: memento tuxedo black (Tsukineko)

paper: whisper white, regal rose, pretty in pink (SU!) DP by Bo-Bunny

accessories: straight pin (Dritz); sewing machine; top note die, finial press embossing folder (SU!); ribbon (Hobby Lobby) pom pom trim (May Arts); oval nestabilities (Spellbinders); pink rhinestones (K&Co)

Birdie Wishes Blog Hop

Happy Turkey Day to my friends in the USA! Hope you are enjoying all of the good eats!

It's day 2 of There She Goes release week. I hope you have come here from Faith's blog but if you haven't , start at the There She Goes blog so you don't miss any of the great creations! Today's set is Birdie Wishes and it is so "Tweet"! I used the colors in SU!'s Cottage Wall DP to get me started. The branch in this set comes "naked" and I used (what I think is) a bird beak to make my leaves! I stamped my sentiment and popped it up so I could attach a tiny library clip. My ribbon knot is secured with a colored quilting pin and there is a trio of black rhinestones to complete my card. Now give your finger's some exercise (because I know the rest of your body is not in the mood today- wink) and hop on over to Holly's blog for some more creative goodness!

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to leave a comment for all of the Trendsetters and enter your name back at the There She Goes blog for a chance to win your own Birdie Wishes set!

"happy bird day"

stamps: Birdie Wishes (There She Goes)

ink: rich razzleberry, chocolate chip, old olive, basic black, marigold morning (SU!)

paper: old olive, whisper white, rich razzleberry, cottage wall DP (SU!)

accessories: ribbon, library clip (SU!); pin (Dritz); rhinestones (Kaiser Craft)

Holiday Tags Blog Hop

Hey there! It's release week at There She Goes and there are 3 fabulous sets that will be released on Friday! I hope you have arrived here from Faith's blog but if you haven't you can start at the There She Goes blog to see all of the eye candy. Our hop today features Holiday Tags. I used the tags traditionally for my first project. This is a tiny paper bag that I filled with chocolates and then tied a ribbon all the way around it to keep it closed. I added a button and twine element and then attached my tag with some more twine. I colored my tree with my Copics. Here's a close up of the tree. I'm still working on my shading (and I hope to take a Copic class soon) but they are so much fun to work with!

I'm getting a little tired of making holiday projects so for this next card I used the tags a bit non traditionally! Included in the set are snowflakes, stars and presents along with the tree and candy cane.

This time I stamped one of the star background tags tone on tone and used a square punch to cut them out. {Did you know that Palette Haystack is a great match to SU! kraft card stock?} I made a little banner with the sentiment that I also stamped tone on tone (sorry it's hard to see in the pic but it says Happy Birthday) I added some glitter, piercing and stitching and 2 star punches with a brad in the middle. I think it makes a great teen boy card, don't you?

For more great Holiday Tags, hop on over to Holly's blog! Come back tomorrow for a look at another There She Goes set and don't forget to leave a comment on each of the Trendsetters blogs and add your name to the Mr Linky back at the There She Goes blog for a chance to win your very own set of Holiday Tags!

Thanks for stopping by!

"tree bag"

stamps: Holiday Tags (There She Goes)

ink: Palette Burnt Umber (Stewart Superior)

paper: whisper white, always artichoke (SU!)

accessories: circle and scallop circle punches (SU!); Copic markers; ribbon, button (Bazzill); hemp twine (May Arts)

"star birthday"

stamps: Holiday Tags (There She Goes)

ink: riding hood red. soft sky (SU!); Palette Haystack (Stewart Superior)

paper: soft sky, riding hood red, kraft, blue bayou (SU!)

accessories: paper piercer, star punches, square punch, glitter (SU!); brad (Hobby Lobby); sewing machine

Shopping?

Here is a new Unity card I promised you yesterday! I got my package from i {heart} papers and went right to work! The sentiment stamp is from the November stampin' store kit and I stamped it in basic black. I used this week's sketch for you to try and some Christmas DP from Cosmo Cricket. For my accents I punched some snowflakes out of this sparkly paper. (So much easier than applying the glue and glitter after you punch it!) I also added some large flat backed baubles by K&Co to the snowflakes. The ribbon is 100% silk and is just a dream to tie into the perfect bows, plus it's almost a perfect match to the crushed curry card stock! Not your typical Christmas colors but I really like how it turned out.


Are you ready for Black Friday? My husband and I usually look through the ads on Thanksgiving and then make our plan for early Friday morning. We don't usually NEED any of the doorbusters- it's just the thrill of being there! (My husband says the only reason he goes along is because he gets McDonald's for breakfast!) I'm sure we will be headed out under the cover of night this year too! Speaking of sales, Kate at i {heart} papers is planning a fabulous sale starting at 12:01 am (EST) on Saturday Nov 27th and running through 12:59 pm (EST) on Sunday Nov 29th. If you aren't up for the crowds and want to shop online in your jammies (although I have seen people in their jammies at Target on Black Friday!) that's the place to be. I will post all of the details on Friday morning (or maybe even Thursday night wink, wink!)

Thanks for stopping by!

"Joy"
stamps: November stampin' store kit (Unity)
ink: basic black (SU!)
paper: riding hood red, crushed curry, whisper white (SU!); Jolly be Golly DP (Cosmo Cricket); white glitter sheet (Petaloo)
accessories: snowflake punch (Family Treasures); yellow ribbon (Creative Impressions); acrylic baubles (K&Co)

Joy

Happy Monday! I'm not usually a Monday person but with the holiday on Thursday, it makes for a short work week!! I've got piles of laundry to do and a bit of house cleaning before my parents get here tomorrow but I took the time this morning to make a quick card! If you haven't noticed, I'm addicted to Unity stamps. I am so happy that i {heart} papers carries such a huge selection! If you haven't tried them yet, please do. They are of a great quality and they have such a variety of styles from cutesy to elegant, line art to silhouette. I used Feel the Joy and added some autumn mix flower soft to the petals. I stamped the sentiment on the side and added some piercing to mimic the Nutmeg DP. A velvet corduroy knot is the finishing touch!

I'm expecting another Unity shipment today from i {heart} papers! Come back tomorrow to see what I create (and a special tidbit about a BIG sale :P)

Thanks for stopping by!

stamps: feel the joy (Unity)

ink: memento rich cocoa (Tsukineko)

paper: dusty durango, chocolate chip, very vanilla (SU!); Nutmeg DP (Cosmo Cricket)

accessories: autumn mix (Flower Soft); corduroy ribbon (May Arts); paper piercer

Tall and Skinny

Boy I wish that was the description of me! It's actually today's limited supply challenge to make a tall, skinny card. I just got this month's kit of the month from Unity so I used it for today's challenge! My card measures 3 1/2 x 7. I embossed my fairy, flower, mushroom stamp in black onto a piece of Making Memories DP. The magical sentiment is also from the kit of the month and is also heat embossed. The black dots under the main image are actually black rhinestones and are quite sparkly in the right light. Speaking of the right light, I'm still experimenting with my photo setup and today I used the front room in my house. I like how the sun shines into the large window in there but my background (a denim couch or the piano) kind of stinks! Maybe if I used some kind of a back drop?

I'm looking forward to a relaxing weekend (although tonight with 6 teenage girls here for a birthday celebration could be a different story!) and maybe some stamping time with a friend. By the way- GO VIKINGS!!

Thanks for stopping by!

"magical fairy"

stamps: November customer kit of the month (Unity)

ink: versafine black onyx (Tsukineko)

paper: basic black, kiwi kiss, whisper white (SU!); DP by Making Memories

accessories: scallop border punch (Martha Stewart); ribbon, black EP (SU!); oval nestabilities (Spellbinders); black rhinestones (Kaiser Craft)

A Birthday Dream

Today is my daughter's 14th Birthday! A mother has a right to brag right? Well, here goes- she is a wonderful student and has a strong sense of self. Just the other night at dinner we were discussing a movie she had seen at school and the discussion that followed with her fellow students. It was an in depth discussion about amnesty and a poll was taken in the class regarding the topic. We continued the discussion at home and my daughter admitted that she was one of only 2 students in the class that was against amnesty in this situation and explained her reasons why. Even though it was not the "popular" vote, she stood her ground and fiercely debated the topic. She received wonderful praise from her teacher and my husband and I are so proud of her (watch out Washington- a strong Republican in the making?!) There are times, of course, when her teenage reasoning boggles my mind, or when she feels the need to irritate her younger brothers and gets sent to her room but all in all she is a beautiful young lady inside and out!

I made this card for her. The verse is so fitting for her I think! Without dreams, where does a future lead?! I used this week's sketch for you to try for my layout and some great accessories from i {heart} papers. The little pearls at the bottom were a white color but I used my Copic marker to make them match the orange color in the paper. I used a bit of glitter to make the word "dream" stand out.

Thanks for stopping by!

stamps: August Stampin' Store kit (Unity)

ink: always artichoke (SU!)

paper: naturals ivory, kiwi kiss (SU!); blue/green (Archiver's); DP by K&Co

accessories: ribbon (May Arts); glitter, flower punch (SU!); piercing template (Ecstasy); pearls (Hero Arts); Copic markers; flower (Bazzill); brad (Sassafras Lass)

A Sketch Challenge

Yikes! This month's i {heart} papers challenge is a sketch. Now usually I LOVE sketches but this one gave me some trouble! After a few hours of fiddling with it, I think I am happy with the end result. First I stamped "Merry Christmas" using my Just Rite 2" round stamper and the small letter set and cut it out using my nestabilities. Then I stamped the poinsettia from Hodge Podge of Happiness by Unity 3 times, colored in each of the images with my Copics and then layered them with pop dots. The DP is by Memory Box and called Spiceberry. I didn't like the plain black panel- it looked a little naked- so I stamped the worn music background in Versamark ink and then heat embossed it with clear embossing powder. (much better) I added some black rhinestones to the center of my pointsettia and some faux stitching to my triangles and called it good! Check out what my fellow design team members created with the sketch too.

Amber

Carolyn

Cathleen

Deb

Kendra

Lynn

Megan

Tracy

Lori

Kate

Thanks for stopping by!

"poinsettia Christmas"

stamps: Just Rite 2" stamper and small letter set; Hodge Podge of Happiness (Unity); worn music background (Unity)

ink: memento tuxedo black, versamark (Tsukineko)

paper: kiwi kiss, basic black, very vanilla (SU!); Spiceberry DP (Memory Box)

accessories: Copic markers; paper piercer; clear embossing powder (SU!); black rhinestones (Kaiser Craft)

Just Chillin'

Yep- we are getting ready for winter here! All of the patio furniture is put away in storage, the bushes are trimmed up and we bought the plastic shrink wrap to cover the inside of the windows to protect them from ice build up. Oh the joy of living in a state that is part of the frozen tundra!! I made a card this morning in tribute to the freezin' season. I was very excited to see Dawn as the featured stamper this week. I just love her style. I chose this card of hers to CASE but I made my rolling hills into the rolling waves of the Arctic Ocean! I used those adorable little penguins from There She Goes again- can't stay away from them! This also fits the There She Goes challenge this week to use stitching of some kind (real or faux) on your project. I stitched all around my waves with my sewing machine to make them stand out a bit more. If you want to participate for a chance to win $5 to the There She Goes store, just upload your project using the keyword TSG29 and add your link to the TSG blog!

Thanks for stopping by!

"chillin"

stamps: Penguin Love (TSG)

ink: memento tuxedo black (Tsukineko); baja breeze (SU!)

paper: mellow moss, whisper white (SU!); blue/green from Archiver's; DP by MME

accessories: swiss dots embossing folder (Provo Craft); sewing machine; Copic markers; ribbon (Bazzill)

Dry Embossing

One of my favorite embellishments for my cards is dry embossing. I just love what it adds to a card! Over on the There She Goes blog, I am the hostess for this week's Wednesday Trends and dry embossing is what I am showcasing. Go ahead, take a look but be sure and come back because I have a couple of other samples to show you here! While you're there you can check out this post all about me too!

Glad you're back! So, what did you think? I have 2 more dry embossed cards to share with you today.

This first one uses an embossing folder by Quickutz on the black layer and then I used my Score-pal to make the lines above and below the black layer. (You might have to click on the picture to get a better view of the embossed lines) See the silver "brads" between the lines? I got those on my trip to the HUGE craft store when we went biking! They are actually acrylic flat backed baubles that they sell in the flower arranging section! They come in a ton of different colors and are very similar to the dew drops. The only drawback is that you have to buy each color individually and they come in 80g packages (seriously about 1,000!). They are inexpensive compared to the Dew Drops though. What do you think of my flower? Aren't the colors so rich and luscious?! Yep, I took the plunge and invested in some Copic Sketch markers! I only have 5 colors plus the blender pen right now, but I just love them! I really have to practice my shading and I would love to take a class too. Thanks to Amy who gave me some great advice and links to Copic "experts"!

This last card uses a little "trick" that I learned from my friend, Laura, earlier this week. If you take an embossing folder with your card stock inside and closed and place a thin framing mat on top of the folder and then run it through your machine, it will not emboss where the cutout of your framing mat is. KWIM? In this case I used an oval shaped mat and my snow dots embossing folder. Again, you have to experiment with your "sandwich" but isn't it a cool technique? Laura used a thin, balsa wood type frame and I made my own with a piece of chipboard and my oval nestabilities! My "sandwich" for my Big Shot consisted of the multipurpose platform with Tab 1, my embossing folder with the card stock inside, my chipboard oval frame (cut the same size as my embossing folder), another piece of chipboard as a shim, a black silicone mat from Sizzix and then a clear plate. Give it a try!

I hope I have inspired you today! Thanks for stopping by!

"flowers"

stamps: Bloom (TSG)

ink: memento tuxedo black (Tsukineko); Copic markers R27, R29, Y38 and YG95

paper: real red, very vanilla, basic black, mellow moss (SU!)

accessories: silver flat backed baubles (Sierra Pacific); Score-pal; retro diamonds embossing folder (Quickutz)

"igloo"

stamps: Penguin Love (TSG)

ink: memento tuxedo black (Tsukineko)

paper: basic black, whisper white, not quite navy (SU!)

accessories: liquid applique'; glitter, label punch (SU!); ribbon (Michaels); twine (May Arts); embossing folder (Provo Craft)

Chipboard Challenge!

Hey! Did you have a good weekend? It was so beautiful here on Saturday that we decided to go for a 25 mile bike ride! Yeah- 25 miles is a LONG ways! All 6 of us had sore butts and my thighs are still burning. The reward for such a trip though (for me) was a stop at the HUGE craft store that is just a few miles from the trail. The rest of the family stayed in the truck while I went in to shop for about an hour. I got some great deals and will share a few of them with you later this week!

The challenge today on the There She Goes blog is to use chipboard! I have to say that I have lots of chipboard, with good intentions to use it, but it rarely appears on my projects! Today I took an alphabet set and painted it with some Making Memories scrapbook paint in fire engine red. Because the letters are so large, my card is 5 1/2 inches square. I had lots of space to fill so I added some layers of embossing and paper piercing. My sentiment is from the set Everyday Greetings and I just inked the word "wonderful" with my marker. Then I embellished my chipboard with a flower from the Act of Kindness set and a small green pearl.

To participate in the challenge, with a chance to win $ to the There She Goes store, just create a project using chipboard in some way and add your link to the There She Goes blog! If you upload to an online gallery, please use the keyword TSG28 so we can find your project!

Thanks for stopping by!

"wonderful you"

stamps: Act of Kindness, Everydaty Greetings (TSG)

ink: basic black, marigold morning (SU!)

paper: real red, whisper white (SU!); textured aqua (DCWV) DP by K & Co.

accessories: red paint, button (Making Memories); chipboard (Jo-Ann ETC); flower punch, ribbon (SU!); small pearl (Kaiser Craft); embroidery floss (DMC); sewing machine; embossing folder (Provo Craft); border punch (Fiskars); Ornare piercing template

For Henry

This week has been a very sad one as former i {heart} papers DT member Sarah Anderson’s 3 year old son Henry passed away. Little Henry was unable to overcome a virus that made him ill last week. Lorie Ames has organized a way to donate for a memorial for Henry. Henry loved his local zoo and visited it almost every day in the summer. As a memorial, trees will be planted there in his honor. Melissa at Pink Cat Studio has created a digital stamp to help raise funds for a tree for Henry. All proceeds from the sale of the digi stamp, minus Paypal costs, will go towards the tree. If you would like to donate towards the tree, please visit PCS to purchase the digi stamp: http://www.pinkcatstudio.com/Digital/DigiStamps/Animals/Zoo/GiraffeAndMonkey.htmAnother way to donate to the memorial is to print out this form and mail in your donation directly: http://www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us/Parks/PDF/MemorialTreePamphlet.pdfYou can send in any amount using the form. The funds will be pooled. Please write on the form that the donation is for Sarah Anderson’s son, Henry. Once all of the money is collected, a tree and location will be selected. If you have questions about the form please contact Lorie Ames. Lorie will be in contact with Sarah along this memorial journey to ensure that her wishes are followed.To contact Lorie, please visit her blog at http://www.live-love-laugh-create.blogspot.com/ If you don’t know Sarah and would like to learn more about her, please visit her blog: http://scrampinmama.blogspot.com/ Thank you for your help to raise money for a tree for Henry.

I don't know Sarah personally but I was heart broken by this sudden event! I created this card just for Henry.

"for Henry"

stamps: digi stamp (Pink Cat Studio)

ink: my Epson printer ink

paper: chocolate chip, bashful blue, so saffron, whisper white (SU!); Dp by DCWV

accessories: labels 8 nestabilities (Spellbinders); button (Basic Grey); embroidery floss (DMC); colored pencils (Sanford); ribbon (May Arts)

Christmas Songbirds

I've given in and started really working on some holiday cards. Yes, I've made a few but they were usually part of a challenge or DT commitment. I do make all of my own Christmas cards (95 to be exact) but the past few years I've resorted to photo cards of the family (still homemade though!) I like to have a couple holiday type cards around for thank yous and notes so I'm starting out now! I used my October Stampin' Store kit by Unity and inked my birds in Baja Breeze. Then I "rock and rolled" them in riding hood red and added some glitter to the outside frame. I tied my red twill a la Joanne Basile with a button and twine! I embossed just the top 2/3 of the baja breeze layer with an embossing folder and then added some score lines at the bottom with my Score-Pal.

Thanks for stopping by!

"songbirds"

stamps: October Stampin' Store kit (Unity)

ink: baja breeze, riding hood red (SU!)

paper: very vanilla, baja breeze, riding hood red (SU!) DP by Cosmo Cricket

accessories: border punch (Martha Stewart); glitter, hemp twine (SU!); button (Bazzil); embossing folder (Provo Craft); red twill (May Arts)

Fall

I must say that I love to color even though I'm not very good at it! Oh sure, I can make some funky colored clothing or whimsical scenes. When it comes to making things look "real"? Nope, not my forte! I have many of these fireplaces from the TSG Home Sweet Home set that I have colored and I'm just not happy with. Some look like they belong in a Dr. Seuss book if you know what I mean. This one passed the test though and I am actually pretty happy with it! I used my chalks and a sponge dauber to add the color to the fireplace and then a Q-tip to chalk in the leaves. The fire has orange peel stickles on it for a touch of sparkle. This is my submission for this week's TSG challenge to make a scene. To enter your own project for a chance to win some $ to the TSG store go HERE!

Thanks for stopping by!

"fall"

stamps: Home Sweet Home, HSH Holiday Additions (TSG)

ink: chocolate chip, really rust (SU!)

paper: naturals ivory, really rust, chocolate chip, DP (SU!)

accessories: chalk, ribbon, paper piercer (SU!); stickles (Ranger); brads (Hobby Lobby)

Ode to clean and simple

I was so excited to see Jen "Miss Boo" as the featured stamper this week! She is the queen of clean and simple and the hostess for the clean and simple challenges on Mondays. I chose this card of hers to CASE. I kept the same basic layout but used different stamps and colors. I used the leaf image from the October Stampin' Store kit by Unity and added some stickles for berries. The sentiment is also from the store kit. My ribbon is ruffle edged faux suede by May Arts and available at i {heart} papers.

The clean and simple challenge this week is a sketch (my favorite) so I decided to do that one too! Now this might not look so clean and simple but it's all DP by MME! I added a little sewing around the edges and a small border strip. The little girl is from the same collection and is a die cut! I added some white fun flock to her hood and jacket, cut off her hands to fit around my label sentiment and tied a white ruffle edge bow at the top. Seriously, a 20 minute card!

Sorry I've been absent for a few days! Halloween is NOT my favorite holiday but I always get stressed out about it! We live in the "Halloween Capital of the World" so the schools have these big celebrations and a city parade. We had a dance, 3 parties and trick or treating over the weekend. . .I'm so glad it's over! Now onto the next holiday, right?!

Thanks for stopping by!

"merry & bright"

stamps: October stampin' store kit (Unity)

ink: always artichoke, real red (SU!)

paper: kraft, always artichoke (SU!)

accessories: Christmas red stickles (Ranger); ribbon (May Arts)

"sending my love"

stamps: October kotm (Unity)

ink: not quite navy (SU!)

paper: colorful christmas collection (MME); whisper white (SU!)

accessories: ribbon (May Arts); white fun flock (Stampendous); border punch (Martha Stewart); label punch (SU!)