Another Christmas Card...

Good morning! I've got another Christmas card for you...and a few challenges that I am entering it in. First of all, here is my card:

I used my Cricut and Elegant Edges cartridge to cut out the layered frames, then stamped the birds and sentiment from the November Unity KOTM. Inked the edges with Tim Holtz distress ink in Antique Linen. The background paper is more yummy October Afternoon.

Rounded the top two corners with my Martha Stewart corner rounder, and finished off with a bit of red crinkle ribbon, and some PTI twine.

So, there are three challenges I am entering this in. The first one is the color challenge over at the Ribbon Carousel Challenge Blog - use kraft, red, and brown - and some neutrals if necessary.

I am also entering it in the Stampin' Sister's in Christ Challenge to use birds on a project - inspired by this Scripture:

And finally, I am entering this one as well in the Unity Stamp Company Challenge - Let it Snow.

YAY!!! Getting some Christmas Cards done!!!

This last weekend I took the time (after Thanksgiving!) to break out all the Christmas stamps and papers I could find and get a start on Christmas cards! Here is the first one I made, and I will also be entering it in the Unity Stamp's "Let it Snow" challenge for this month:

I used one of the images from the November KOTM, colored with Copics. Used my small frame die cut from My Creative Time Stamps, and stamped a sentiment from the Unity September KOTM.

Inked the edges of everything with Tim Holtz distress ink in Antique Linen (I think it is my VERY favorite color!) and pop-dotted the image and sentiment in frame from the background - which is some very yummy October Afternoon paper that I got in my first Santa Sack! Such a fabulous deal - check out their Facebook page or blog to read more about it!

Thanks for visiting this morning! I look forward to sharing the rest of my Christmas cards that I have been working on this week!

Stop and Scrap Winners!!!

Well, it's Monday, so it's time to announce the winners from the Stop and Scrap giveaway!!! I used Random.org to help me pick - so here we go!!!

First winner picked, for the $25 gift certificate, is number 3:

So that means the winner is:

Next number picked for a $10 gift certificate was number 28:

Which means the winner is:

Next lucky number, also for a $10 gift certificate, is number 20:

So our winner there is:

And last, but not least, for another $10 gift certificate, number 9:

Which means the final winner is:

Congrats to each and every one of you!!! Please send me an email at housesbuiltofcards@gmail.com as soon as possible, so I can get those codes out to you. I will give you 3 days to contact me before picking new winners!!! Have fun shopping!!!



Case Study Challenge #67

Good morning! Just a quick post this morning! I had time this weekend to make a card for the current Case Study Challenge - #67. Here is my take:

I used a Market Street Stamps background stamp for the grid, then stamped the flowers and sentiment from Unity Stamps. Couldn't resist adding just a touch of bling! Rounded the top corner with my Martha Stewart corner rounder.

Can't say I'm thrilled with this one - but I am still working on the clean and simple style - I know I will get it eventually!



Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger

Remember - only one more day to enter my Stop and Scrap giveaway!!! Click HERE or scroll down to enter!

I think this is the happiest I have been with a card made for the Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger! Here is my take:

And here is the inspiration photo - don't you just LOVE?!?!? I want to move in!

I used my PTI woodgrain texture plate for the gray background paper to catch the rustic touch of the door. Added a bit of burlap to catch the texture of the basket of wood.

Added some flat crinkle ribbon (sounds funny somehow...) and a frame and sentiment from some Gina K. Designs stamps that I won off the Moxie Fab world recently - the stripe pattern on the frame was perfect to catch the stripes in the pillows. Used copper brads to anchor it to the card.

So, there is my clean and simple card - I'm still working on this style, but I really like how this one came out. That's what a challenge is for, right?



Peachy Keen Sketch Challenge - and a Birthday card Challenge

Click HERE to enter my Stop and Scrap giveaway - or just scroll down!

Trying to catch up on a few challenge this weekend - instead of venturing out into the crazy shopping scene! Way more fun I think! So this is for the Peachy Keen Sketch Challenge with a twist - use Paper Piecing, as well as the Birthday Card Challenge over at Crafting with Mimi. Here is my card:

And here is the sketch:

I used all Basic Grey Papers, and Elegant Edges to cut the circle and scallop circle. The stamped image is from Peachy Keen's Party Girl Lulee set. I paper pieced the balloon, dress, and hat, then used Copics to color the rest. I also used a bit of Tim Holtz distress ink in Antique Linen on the edges.  

The sentiment is from the same set, and I finished off with a bit of Bakers twine.

Thanks for visiting! See you soon!



With Gratitude...

Once again, if you are here for my Stop and Scrap giveaway, click HERE, or just scroll down. (You really don't want to miss it - I promise!)

Here with Thanksgiving just over, I had a a couple of challenges that I still wanted to enter, and wanted to kind of wrap up Thanksgiving a little more before I headed into Christmas time - by focusing on gratitude. So, here is what I came up with:

Started off with a PTI texture plate and ran the card base through my Cuttlebug. Cut some additional frame shapes from Elegant Edges using my Cricut, and embossed the first one, and inked the edges of them both up with some Tim Holtz distress ink. Stamped the sentiment from a Gina K. Designs set that I won on the Moxie Fab world a while back (gotta love a good prize!)

I added some PTI buttons underneath them, and used a leaf leftover from another project, also inked with the Tim Holz distress ink. Finished off with some PTI twine, and pop-dotted the frames from the card base.

I love the non-traditional colors, the Basic Grey Paper, and all the texture!

So, the challenges I am entering this is are first of all the Cricut Circle Monthly challenge: use some image that symbolizes Fall for you (which for me was the leaf) and texture. I am also entering this as a second entry on LaVikingascrapp to make something with Basic Grey or Graphic 45 paper. And finally, I am entering this in the Paper Crafts November 2011 Gallery Challenge: Thanksgiving inspired projects.

A Scrapbook sketch challenge!

Still time to enter my Stop and Scrap giveaway - just click HERE or scroll down to read about it!

I know I don't post very many layouts - but I loved this sketch challenge over on the Basic Grey Blog. Here is my take:

And here is the sketch:

I still scrapbook in 8.5 x 11, so I had to modify the layout to make it fit that size. The pictures are of my two daughters "sampling" the peaches last year when I was canning. I just LOVE these pictures of them! So funky and fun! Used Basic Grey's Out of Print collection which are so bright and fun and perfect for this kind of pictures!

Thanks for the visit today! Sorry for the poor pictures - I still haven't found a good way to photograph layouts. They are just tough for some reason! I'll keep practicing though!

An Apple a Day...

If you are looking for my Stop and Scrap Giveaway, click HERE or scroll down to the last post. If you didn't see it, I get to giveaway a $25 gift certificate, and 3 $10 gift certificates! Also...in case you didn't know, they are having a great sale today only - 25% off everything except pre-order items! Use coupon code "FRIDAY." 

Okay, on to the rest of my post! I have kind of a funny card today - isn't this sentiment the cutest?!?!?

I stamped the image from Unity Stamps, and paper-pieced it - which in hindsight was a bit ambitions. Those are some TINY pieces!!! The sentiment is from the same set - Apple Cheddar Soup.

Did some Machine stitching, inked the edges of the paper with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Antique Linen, then added some Bakers Twine bows.

The pattern paper is all from Basic Grey's Picadilly collection.

Now - I am entering this in the Unity Friday Friends with Flair, as well as the Challenge over at LaVikingascrapp to use either Basic Grey or Graphic 45 paper. I also think this fits well for the weekly challenge on the Basic Grey blog - go bold with color!

Stop and Scrap Giveaway!!!

Good morning!!! I'm very excited this morning to have a givewaway sponsored by Stop and Scrap! Stop and Scrap is an online papercrafting store, with a great selection of some of the newest products - and great prices. I actually just placed my first order from them recently, and was very pleased with how quickly it arrived. Even though my order wasn't over $50 to qualify for free shipping, I felt like the shipping charges were very reasonable.

They also have a great rewards program, and I am excited about spending those points eventually! Free money to spend is always good! So...today I get to give away a $25 gift certificate, and three $10 gift certificates!!! I will tell you at the end of this post how you can enter!

But first, here is a project that I made with some of my first order from Stop and Scrap:

The main image is from the Unity Stamp November KOTM, and I also used the Unity KOTM sketch, so I will be entering it in that challenge.

I used the 6x6 paper pad by Authentique from the collection "Gathering." Isn't it yummy? 

The cute little flag is a die and stamp combo from Lil' Inker designs. I stamped the pole and heat embossed it on the background paper, then pop-dotted the matching flag. Used my Tim Holtz distress tool on the edges of everything, then sponged on some Tim Holtz distress ink in Worn Photo.

On the bottom, I used some Baker's Twine and Papertrey Ink twine, together with a Papertrey Ink button.

The coloring with Copics is an ever growing skill! I know I'm not very good at it yet - but I am having so much fun playing with them and learning how to use them better and better! I think it adds so much to a stamped image!

All right - now to the giveaway part!!! I was given the choice to do whatever sort of giveaway I wanted, and since it is the day before Thanksgiving here in the US, I want to keep it really simple! So, all I would like you to do is leave me a comment letting me know what you are thankful for today...right now. It can be any little thing - because there really is no such thing as something too small to be thankful for.

If you would like to pop-over and say hello on my Facebook Page, then leave me a comment here saying you did that, that will give you an extra entry.

You can also go visit the Stop and Scrap Blog, leave a comment, then come back and leave me a comment saying you did that for an extra entry.

And finally, for last extra entry, go visit Stop and Scrap, and come back and leave me a comment telling me what YOU would love to spend a gift certificate on if you win!

So that is a total of 4 entries - or you can just keep it simple and leave the first comment and let me know what you are thankful for. Either way, I will draw the four winners and announce them here next week on Monday morning - leaving time for everybody who is interested to leave their comment over the holiday weekend!

Oh...and just for the record, I am thankful right now for my family - I don't think I could possibly love them anymore than I already do. I am definately a blessed wife and mommy! 

I am also entering this in the Linky Party over at Robin's Creative Cottage, as well as the Birthday Theme Wacky Wednesday Challenge at More Than Favors.

Thanks for visiting today - hope to see you soon!

Hello!

Hello! I feel like I have TOTALLY neglected this blog over the past week. We were out of town for a wedding, and got back REALLY late Sunday night. I managed to auto-post something for one of the days we were gone, but in all the preparations to get ready to leave, I never did get anything else done. And since we got back, I have gotten one card done...but I am saving that for tomorrow...because I am having a special giveaway - you are going to want to check it out for sure!

Here is a picture of me and my girls - we were all in the wedding! I was a bridesmaid, my oldest was the junior bridesmaid, youngest was the flowergirl. They were SOOOO cute!!!

Anyway, I will see you tomorrow with a card and a great giveaway...I will give you a hint:

Go check out Stop and Scrap Store, and their blog...especially the sidebar!  ;0)



Rainbow Buttons

Good morning! Just a quick post to share a card I actually made a while back and never posted. Now seemed like a good time, so I could enter it in the Moxie Fab World Random Fun Challenge - Button Day!

I used my Martha Stewart button punch, and some Bazzil cardstock for the buttons, then tied some jute cord through and behind them. Adhered them to the card with pop-dots, and rounded off one corner with my Martha Stewart corner rounder. 

Finished off with a sentiment from Scrappy Mom's stamps, and a bit of faux stitching with my white gel pen.

Thanks for stopping by!



My Creative Time - Throwback Thursday Challenge

Hello! I wanted to make sure I got a card made for the Throwback Thursday Challenge over at My Creative Time before my week got crazy. The theme is Kid Friendly, and I made a different card for a dear friends wedding this Saturday, but I had misread and just thought I needed to use a kid-friendly cartridge, not that the project needed to be kid friendly. So...I will post that a little later this week. As an alternative, I made a couple of cards for another friend's two daughters who invited our family to their Nutcracker performance in early December.

I used Twinkle Toes Lite cartridge, and added some cute Peachy Faces to them.

The tags are also from the same cartridge, with some Baker's Twine behind them.

All paper is from Echo Park - Victorian Garden collection - SO pretty! And I pop-dotted the ballerinas and the tags from the background.

The finishing touch is a bit of Tim Holtz distress ink in antique linen around the edges.

Hope you have a great week! I will be busy helping a friend prepare for her wedding this Saturday - my girls and I are all in the wedding! Can't wait!!!