Sweet and PC Christmas

I'm once again combining my Sweet Sunday Sketch sample along with a The Cat's Pajamas Preview, because its just not *right* to have new stamps and not share them! *giggle*

So today, meet P.C. Christmas . with the Politically Correct Santa that is. Instead of having his reindeer haul him all over the planet, he's got a nifty Santa powered glider - no animal cruelty, no mess, and maybe even a sleeker Santa by the end of the night too - oh, boy I crack myself up eh?

I was thinking of a canvas sail for his glider - thus my neutral tones. I think its old school meets green technology -- right? This will be the perfect card for my green lovin' husband ....


Patterned paper you will most likely recognize from me by now, it is The Girls Paperie Twig and Tinsel and I added an embossed panel of Kraft using one of my Cuttlebug folders. You'll see that I cheated (...again...) with the sketch and used a main panel oval instead of a circle...

If you haven't bought any Divine Twine yet from The Cat's Pajamas, I'm telling you go grab yourself some! Between black and red - I tell you, they go with *everything* and have been a huge hit at my recent stamping classes.

Now, be sure to visit Karen at The Sweetest Thing to see what she's whipped up for this week's sketch, and you'll find samples by all of my sweet, and oh so very talented friends on the Sweet Sunday Sketch team:

• Karen Giron
  
• Jennifer Tapler
• Karen Motz
  
• Laura Fredrickson
• Lynn Put
• Sarah-Jane Kale (I think is off this week, but leave her lovely blog some love!)
  
• Vicki Burdick

Sweet Sunday - Jingle Bells

Good morning! Today I've got another preview at an upcoming stamp set from The Cat's Pajamas. In fact, be ready because Sneak Peek Week begins tomorrow and you're going to have previews from Design Team members every day for the next week before the new release!
Did I mention that I LOVE Sneak Peek Week!


Today I'm pairing Jingle Bells with this weeks Sweet Sunday Sketch. In place of the adornment on the sketch, I'm having her scarf come out of the box a little bit. Shh. Its sort of cheating, don't tell on me okay?


The stamp set includes a trio of jingle bells that I'm sure would be amazing for stamping your own patterns - but today I cut one out, colored it grey and then coated it in Diamond Glaze. Admission.... I am just simply terrible at that stamp your own paper thing....

This pattered paper is Jovial from Basic Grey. I usually veer away from patterned papers with images versus patterns, but I think these snowmen are adorable... right? Do you see they have glasses. ACK! Too cute for words......

Be sure to hop around to visit all the girls on the Sweet Sunday Sketch team. I'm sure that they were all good and didn't cheat on that embellishment. But I had new stamps, and I couldn't resist the urge to share with you!

I'm off to enjoy a cup of coffee and check out what they've all made, I sure hope you'll join me.

• Karen Giron
  
• Jennifer Tapler
• Karen Motz
  
• Laura Fredrickson
• Lynn Put
• Sarah-Jane Kale
• Vicki Burdick

Clean and Simple on a Sweet Sunday

Good morning! Today I've got a little Clean and Simple Sunday thing going on. I have been *dying* to dig into this beautiful My Mind's Eye paper that my sweet friend Jody sent to me for my birthday.


And I thought that it was just perfect to share the latest Die-namics: Stacking Stars from My Favorite Things which will be available as part of our upcoming November Release!


This fabulous die set cuts a total of five stars in assorted sizes in a single cut. I think it is truly fabulous, and a great shall we say "necessity?" in your crafting arsenal!

Today is also the day that we share previews for the Happy Thoughts stamp set. This was our previous Triple Scoop set - it covers a variety of all happy cardmaking occasions and is a great basics set to have adding flexibility to your other sets, or perfect for those Die-namic and sentiment only cards that are SO fun to make!

Remember that Kim will have links to all the girls participating in previews today after 11am EST.

This is also my sample for this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch challenge. A great sketch if you ask me, in that it is well suited to any number of stamp sets... patterned papers etc. Lots of room for interpretation!


Please be sure to pop around to visit all my friends on the Sweet Sunday Sketch Team so that you don't miss a thing!

• Karen Giron
  
• Jennifer Tapler
• Karen Motz
  
• Laura Fredrickson
• Lynn Put
• Sarah-Jane Kale
• Vicki Burdick

A Happy Birthday - Sweet Sunday Sample

Good morning! This week, I used the (awesome) Sweet Sunday sketch that Karen had given us to put together a special little something for my niece who is turning two today!

And what paper and stamps go better for a little birthday card for that cutie than My Mind's Eye Animal Crackers and Pure Innocence stamps? I reached for Pure Innocence: Something Special Just for You and customized the card by adding Bling 'Bers (sorry currently out of stock....). I've used some black, white and bright for my colors, I love the contrast with that POP of black against the pinks.

I've finished the card off inside and out with a little technique that Michele and Jody use that I just love... the image was stamped softly on the inside, almost like a watermark, and I've added one of the coordinating sentiments to the inside. This is a great way to add in more of the patterned paper from your stash, and I'll admit it, my messy handwriting always fouls up the insides of my cards. So, now its nice and neat!

Now the fun part, be sure to hop around to visit all the girls on the Sweet Sunday Team to see how they've interpreted this week's sketch. And, of course, be sure to add YOUR sample to Karen's inLinkz so we can see where this sketch takes you!

• Karen Giron
  
• Jennifer Tapler
• Karen Motz
  
• Laura Fredrickson
• Lynn Put
• Sarah-Jane Kale
• Vicki Burdick

Sunday, you're so sweet.....

Its another Sweet Sunday Sketch challenge, and it was a great excuse to stamp up a hopelessly delayed Thank You note to a dear friend.


My design is pretty clean, with just a simple "thank ou" on the main panel, and of course, a whole lot of sewing.... but that little scalloped piece threw me. I reached for a little bit of vintage trim and for my three circular elements I strung three buttons together, and for a twist, I left the thread between them, and adhered them as a chain of buttons, instead of three individually set buttons.


I'm using Inside and Out: Thank You from Paper Trey Ink. I really needed a great all purpose Thank You set, and I think this back to basics type set will be perfect. I was able to finish off this card with a beautiful coordinating sentiment on the inside.

Be sure to stop by all of the girls on the Sweet Sunday Sketch challenge team to see what they've put together. You'll find the original sketch from Karen Giron on her amazing blog The Sweetest Thing

then be sure to hop around to visit all the girls - I just love seeing the twist everyone puts on the sketch each week - fun!!

• Karen Giron
  
• Jennifer Tapler
• Karen Motz
  
• Laura Fredrickson
• Lynn Put
• Sarah-Jane Kale
• Vicki Burdick

Sweet Sunday Witchy

Happy Sunday everyone! I'm back in the routine of getting my Sweet Sunday cards done. Dare I say that *maybe* I'm finally on a roll with our new back to school routine?


This week you'll be surprised to see that I have a card without a million and a half layers. Right? This week's sketch made me think simple, and I thought it best to dig into this new Toil and Trouble paper from Girls Paperie before Halloween arrives.

I've been leaning heavily on black accents lately, so today jumped in and went for a black cardbase too. Isn't this sweet Witchy so adorable? I subbed this week's scalloped piece for a thin strip of this fun green pattern paper, some stitching and a length of bakers twine. (...love that stuff...)

Be sure to stop by Karen's blog to see her orginal sketch, her gorgeous sample, and also to submit YOUR project to her inLinkz!

And grab your cuppa coffee and pop around to visit all my friends on the Sweet Sunday Sketch Team:

• Karen Giron
  
• Jennifer Tapler
• Karen Motz
  
• Laura Fredrickson
• Lynn Put
• Sarah-Jane Kale
• Vicki Burdick

Sweet Sunday - Miss you a Latte

Today is going to be a two-fer posting day for me. I've got my Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge card now, and a little later, I'll have a post with a preview of one of the upcoming stamp sets from My Favorite Things.

What a fun sketch Karen has in line for us all this week, I can't wait to see what everyone does with that tiny square in particular. Me, I knew that this was the day I got to play with a little stamp that's been patiently waiting for me. Miss You a Latte

If you didn't already pick up the two newest a la Modes- you'll want to be sure to add them to your cart for when you check out - how can you not love this girl with the giant coffee cups? Too cute!

I'm (obviously) in love with this patterned paper from Girls Paperie - Twig and Tinsel. I used one of the red patterns to paper piece the red cups - I'm sure I'm not alone with getting a little bit excited when the red cups arrive for Christmas. Right? Then I added in the kraft holders, you know the ones that keep you from burning the skin off the palms of your hands?

In place of the square panel, I added one of the new Let It Snowflake Die-namics which will be released this coming Wednesday. Trust me people. You need this one. Need it. Finished off with a red button and a bit of Baker's Twine.

Be sure to stop by to see all the Sweet Sunday Samplers - and of course to add YOUR sample to Karen's blog too! I can't wait to see what you create!

• Karen Giron
  
• Jennifer Tapler
• Karen Motz
  
• Laura Fredrickson
• Lynn Put
• Sarah-Jane Kale
• Vicki Burdick

Sweet Sunday Sketch

Happy Sunday everyone! I am SO in love with this week's Sketch from Karen that I've created two cards this weekend with the sketch. One is for today, one is for this coming Wednesday's MFT VIP kit. Isn't it great when a fabulous sketch inspires you to KEEP creating. I love that.

For today's sample, I played around with my Pure Innocence: Birthday Princess stamp set, and some fun new paper from My Mind's Eye - Animal Crackers.

Of course, I had to incorporate some ledger paper, because lately it is a *must* on any project I'm working on.

And if you're using ledger paper, then you really just HAVE to pull out the new MFT Die-namics - Notebook Edge Die to give it a little extra "something" and of course, with all these layers, and patterns, there's nothing to pull all the elements together like a bit of stitching right.

You see why my most favorite cards take forever to make - but these are the ones that I tend to love the best...



Be sure to head on over to Karen's Blog, see her stunning sample, and of course add YOUR card using her fabulous sketch with her inLinkz widget. This week's sketch was drawn by Nancy McKinney who is playing along with us too - so be sure to visit her, thank her for the sketch, and see what she's whipped up for the occasion!

Of course you'll want to hop around to visit all the Sweet Sunday Sketch Samplers, because its always fun to see how everyone has interpreted the sketch each week. Its time to grab a cup of coffee and peruse the samples, have a SWEET Sunday everyone!

• Jennifer Tapler
• Karen Motz
  
• Laura Fredrickson
• Lynn Put
• Sarah-Jane Kale
• Vicki Burdick

Spooky for a Sweet Sunday Sketch

Boo!

Its that time of year when you start to see all manner of spooky things popping up in blog land. Usually I keep it nice and sweet around here, but its time to get spooky....


I took this week's sketch and flipped it up on its end, and instead of sweet scallops, I went for a bit of funky bit of felted pinking and a pleated paper scrap. Ooh, Halloween, when else can you mix, orange, green, grey and brown and its okay. HA!


This spooky zombie is one of the new images from The Cat's Pajamas, stay tuned because we'll start our Sneak Peek Week on Tuesday and the new sets are so fun you won't want to miss a bit of it! The official release party will be September 13th over on our Splitcoast Member Company Forum.

Be sure to check out all the samples from The Sweet Sunday Sketch team and be sure to add your sample to Karen's Blog as well.

• Jennifer Tapler
• Karen Motz
• Laura Fredrickson
• Lynn Put
• Sarah-Jane Kale'
• Vicki Burdick
• AND special guest Nancy McKinney

Now, have fun stamping, because I can't wait to see what YOU come up with!

Simple on a Sunday

Welcome to this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge. This week's sketch was designed by Nancy McKinney. And she's playing along with us this week sharing her sample.


What a crazy morning, my card was up, then I realized I used an element on there that whoops, won't be available till next month, so I removed and replaced it. Um... so much for simple? I just made my life so confusing by simply not following directions. Ugh. Is it time for Back to School or what? I'm exhausted!

I'm using the soon to be released "Clearly Sentimental About Harvest" which is part of the September Release, as well as one of the new Die-namics Dies - The perfect petal trio. The edges are great for rolling, or distressing, and they'd also be gorgeous made out of felt. Get ready to have some flower FUN!

Now, be sure that you follow directions (giggle) and be sure to swing on over to Karen Giron's Blog to see her amazing sample, and of course to link up YOUR creation this week. Each week, she uploads a card from someone who has played along - she can only link your card if you play along!

And please be sure to hop around and visit the Sweet Sunday Stampers to see all their cute samples - I always love hopping around to see how we've interpreted the same sketch!

• Nancy McKinney - is playing along this week - yeah!
• Jennifer Tapler
• Karen Motz
  
• Laura Fredrickson
• Lynn Put
• Sarah-Jane Kale
• Vicki Burdick

So Thankful

Thank goodness for the Sweet Sunday Sketch. I had a thank you card to make this week, and seriously, such a long to do list, that I had no business carding.

Sketch to the rescue. New papers played with, thank you card created, and card came together so fast that I still made enormous progress against my monster sized to-do list!

Patterned papers are my new love, Echo Park Walk in the Park papers. Adorable. I've used MFT's Thanks a Bunch as well as the Die-namics Flower and Leaf Trio, with a quick bit of Die-namic Open Scallop Border trim.

Now, giant to-do list is beckoning me, but please go visit all the girls on the Sweet Sunday Sketch Team to see what they've cooked up for you:

Karen Giron
Jennifer Tapler
Karen Motz
Laura Fredrickson
Lynn Put
Sarah-Jane Kale'
Vicki Burdick

And please be sure to go leave a sweet hello for Nancy Reilly. She's not stamping with us for a bit while she helps take care of her daughter Allie, but we know she's love to see you!

Pure Innocence on a Sweet Sunday

I'm loving today's fun sketch for the Sweet Sunday Sketch. I wouldn't have thought to add all those buttons to my panel, but that's why I leave the sketching to Karen!

I hadn't yet inked up MFT's Pure Innocence "A Bunch of Blooms" which is simply a shame, look how cute she is. I paper pieced her, which meant stamping a few extra pieces. The dress was stamped to the striped paper, and glued into place. Then I stamped again to a scrap of white cardstock, so I could add back in the arms, flowers and stems on top.

I think I warned you, I'm on a So Sophie kick again. Loving this paper from My Minds Eye. Was happy to (easily) find four buttons the same size in the right color in my button jar - hooray because really, that NEVER happens.

I used three MFT Baby Braddies for the bottom left hand corner. My only little cheat was that I added a little sentiment tab under the main panel.

Don't forget to stop by Karen's Blog to see her amazing sample, and of course, you'll want to be sure to add your sample to Karen's inLinkz - its always so fun to see what everyone else has made with the sketch!

* Jennifer Tapler
* Karen Motz
* Laura Fredrickson
* Lynn Put
* Nancy Riley - is on hiatus to care for her daughter Allie, but please stop by to leave her some love!
* Sarah-Jane Kale'
* Vicki Burdick

Sweet and Simple Sunday

Even with an extra week to work on our sketch this week, I was still having a hard time, it wasn't the sketches fault, because it is a fabulous one! I was just feeling rusty this week I guess. I'll even admit that I put more than a few samples in the circular file. But in the end, I loved the card I came up with.

I love Sweet Sunday Sketches, they are just my free day to just play aroud, no Design Team commitments, so I get to just look through my generous assortment of stamps to see what is calling my name. This week, it was Every Day Button Bits from Paper Trey.

Anchored with MFT's Hot Fudge Cardstock, and scraps of whatever was laying about on my besk, I grabbed the pink buttons and got stamping away.

Quick and simple, all the buttons are stitched directly in place. Once I decided I didn't need to fill up that whole panel, and that I could just use a portion of it, the card came together in a stitch (pardon the pun!)

Be sure to visit Karen Giron and all of the girls on the Sweet Sunday Sketch team to see their amazing samples this week. I'm sure of one thing, and its that you'll be inspired!

• Jennifer Tapler
• Karen Motz
• Laura Fredrickson
• Lynn Put
• Nancy Riley - Is on hiatus but please leave her some love! ;-)
• Sarah-Jane Kale'
• Vicki Burdick

Wishing you a Beautiful Day!

Hello and happy Sunday everyone! I had so much fun working on my sample for this weekend's sketch. I went with a little modification and instead of a large oval, I reached for a fun new element that I'm a *wee bit* obsssed with....

The new Framed Greetings Die-namics and Coordinating Stamp Set from MFT really does make creating a breeze! I had this beautiful Crate Paper piece on my desk, and I hadn't been able to figure out WHAT to do with it, but I'm thrilled I'd saved it.

I reached for a piece of MFT Felt and the new Rolled Flower Die-namics die, and voila a sweet little rosebud accent. I then ran through the Open Scallop Die-namics (are you sensing a pattern here?) with some ivory felt and stitched it directly in place. Finished off with a bit of crochet ribbon and a little bit of a rhinestone flourish.

Be sure to stop by to visit all of the girls on the Sweet Sunday Sketch team and see what they did with this week's fun sketch. You'll also want to add your sample to Karen's inLinkz so that you have a chance at having your card shared on her blog next weekend! Now, get stamping!!

* Karen Giron
*Jennifer Tapler
* Karen Motz
* Laura Fredrickson
* Lynn Put
* Nancy Riley
* Sarah-Jane Kale'
* Vicki Burdick

Sweet Sunday Sketch - Relaxing....

Hi everyone! I hope that you're as excited as I am about the fact that it is now Teaser Time for My Favorite Things!

The teasers actually began yesterday, so if you missed them, be sure to stop by Kim's blog so that you can see all the girls that had samples for you yesterday. And of course, Kim will have links to all the designers participating today at 11am EST.

You'll see previews every day until the release on Wednesday night, and of course, you are all cordially invited to our New Release Cocktail party at 9pm EST and held on our Splitcoast Member Company Forum.

Our Guest Designer Contest was also announced yesterday so, be sure to head on over to read all about it from our challenge hostesses this month, because after all, it is your chance to win the August Release, and participate in teasers with the Design Team! You'll find all the details on the forum.

Now, enough of my jibber jabber, you're here to see a sample right?

The timing for me couldn't have been more perfect, as my husband and I just came home from a vacation to celebrate our first ten years of marriage! Clearly Sentimental about Travel was last month's "Triple Scoop" and beginning on Wednesday night, it will be available for sale!

I've paired it with some grid paper from Girls Paperie and this fun new patterned paper from Imaginesce that I totally adore.

And, check it out, I'm using one of this month's latest Die-namics! I completely love the new Jumbo Open Scallop. I stitched right along the top border for a little extra detail. And, I can guarantee you'll be seeing lots of this on my cards... so I'm just warning you... just go ahead and buy it, I'll make you sooner or later *evil grin here*

I've used this weekend's Sweet Sunday Sketch for my sample today, as usual, Karen has a fun sketch put together for you. I do so hope that you'll play along for your chance to have your card shared on her blog next weekend!

I know you won't want to miss out on Karen's sample, as well as samples from all the girls on the Sweet Sunday Team:

Jennifer Tapler
Karen Motz
Laura Fredrickson
Lynn Put
Nancy Riley
Sarah-Jane Kale'
Vicki Burdick