You Hold the Key to My Heart!

Today is my last week as a Guest Designer at the Stamptacular Sunday Challenge and I just want to thank all the ladies there for choosing me in the first place and asking me to stay on for a second month! I had a lot of fun!

This week's challenge theme is Anything Goes and I was so excited to get to use this My Favorite Things a la mode set called Key to My Heart! I colored her with Copics and paper-pieced her skirt with the same paper as the background! I don't know what I was thinking when I decided to cut her out right to the outline...her legs and arms are skinny!!! I even cut out the openings in the key and between her arm and the key! Thank goodness I have great eyesight!

I used the My Favorite Things Wednesday Stamp Club sketch and I got to use my new Dainty Lace Doily and Dainty Lace Border dies! I centered my ribbon between the two borders and tied a great big bow at the top! A metal key hangs from the center of the bow and a little pearl adorns the colored key in my image! You can see the inside of my card in this smaller picture! Click on it to see it larger!


Challenges:
My Favorite Things Wednesday Stamp Club - MFTWSC4
Flourishes Timeless Tuesday #102 - hardware (key)
The Color Throwdown #126 - espresso, kiwi, marina mist, olive
Meljen's #43 - Hearts (on the key)
Totally Gorjuss #65 - As YOU Like It! (MFT, bows and love!)
Fussy & Fancy Friday #29 - Valentine with NO Red or Pink
Prairie Fairy #45 - For a Sweetheart!

A Card for My Mom...

Hi there! It's time for another Stamptacular Sunday! This week's Stamptacular Sunday Challenge theme is 3's NOT a Crowd! You must use 3 designer papers, 3 ribbons and 3 flowers on your project! It sounds like a lot, but it's actually pretty easy!

I was in a vintage mood when I created this beauty for my Mom. She's coming to dinner tonight and I wanted to give it to her along with her new calendar I created for her!

I used this pretty circle fromt he new You Inspire Me cling set from JustRite Stampers and the word 'Mom" is from a Verve set called One Person. All three of my designer papers are from Memory Box and my roses are from Prima and Recollections. I colored the purple flower with a Copic marker to match perfectly! See my three ribbons? There's velvet, lace and vintage seam binding! There's even three dots on the top of the pin!

Be sure to stop by the Stamptacular Sunday Challenge to see what their Design Team has to inspire you with today!

Tiffany Doodles at Stamptacular Sunday!

Good Morning! We're celebrating my Mom's birthday today, so I thought I'd show you a pretty Birthday Card! Tiffany Doodles is sponsoring the Stamptacular Sunday Challenge and this week's theme is Anything But a Square (or Rectangle)!

This beautiful Tiffany Doodles image is called Dogwood Branch. I colored it with Copics and cut around the image. I used my Spellbinders Labels Five dies to cut the shape of the card leaving the top off for my fold. Then I cut another piece with the whole shape and adhered it on top. I cut another piece with the next smallest die to give my image a background to sit upon. I used a sentiment from the Papertrey Ink Delightful Dahlia set and cut it out using the Spellbinders labels die. All the edges are inked up with ColorBox Coral Rose. I just added a little striped ribbon and a couple of pearls (as usual)!

Be sure to stop on over at the Stamptacular Sunday Challenge to see what the rest of the Design Team has to show you...and don't forget to get your Tiffany Doodles images...HERE!

Enjoy the little things in life...

Good Morning! I hope you are having a Stamptacular Sunday! I'll be attending my nephew's college graduation today...if that doesn't make me feel old...I was 19 and in college when he was born!

I'm here to share my Stamptacular Sunday Challenge creation with you! This week is SKETCH week...so here it is...

My favorite colors are pink and turquoise, so what better combination to use this week! I started with one of my newest Flourishes stamp sets called Mix-n-Mugs! This is one of the most versatile sets with so many great images! I chose the short mug and the Springy bouquet! It's colored with Copics and the mug is paper pieced and highlighted with a Copic. I added some dainty sheer and satin ribbon, a sweet little bow and a few pearls. The sentiment is also by Flourishes...it's from the Enjoy the Ride set and it's just the first line of a longer sentiment!

I hope you'll visit the Stamptacular Sunday Challenge to see what the Design Team has to share with you and while you're there...play along!

Challenges:
Flourishes Timeless Tuesday #99 - Flowers
Really Reasonable Ribbon #15 - Something New (image) + Ribbon

Happy Anniversary!

Hi there! Remember last week when I told you my snowman card for Stamptacular Sunday was my last card for them as a Guest Designer? Well, apparently I was wrong! They asked me if I wanted to stay on and continue to play along for the month of January...of course I said Yes!

So, here I am with my first January card for Stamptacular Sunday! This week's theme is to use this gorgeous inspiration photo to create with...


I made this elegant Happy Anniversary card for my Mom's and Stepfather's anniversary in February. I just knew I wanted to get out the embossing powder as soon as I saw this photo.
The cake stamp is part of a set by Flourishes called Let Them Eat Cake! and it's one of my faves! The base and all three layers are stamped separately and embossed with gold! Then I added a little ribbon cake top and some pearls to each layer. It's popped up on top of this beautiful embossed vellum by K & Co. and layered with ivory and gold embossed papers. The sentiment is from JustRite Stampers (another of my faves!) It's from the Baroque Nested Frames set. A little more sheer ribbon and a few pearls add a little lustre!

Stop by the Stamptacular Sunday Challenge blog to see what the Design Team has to show you and join in the challenge while you are there!

Challenges:
Stamptacular Sunday #92 - Photo Inspiration
Flourishes Timeless Tuesday #98 - Pearls

Snow at Stamptacular Sunday!

Hi there! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday with your families! We're taking it easy today and enjoying our last day off before we go back to work on Monday! That means lots of football too - GO Ravens! (We're from Baltimore!)

Today is my last post as a Guest Designer at Stamptacular Sunday. A big thank you to the ladies over there...I had a great time joining them! This week's theme is SNOW and I love this new (to me) snowman stamp from Whimsy Stamps! It's by Meljen's Designs and he's called Cozy Little Snowman. You can also find the sentiment there too. It's by Raindrop Echo and it's part of a stamp in the Winter Letter Seals set.

There's a lot of great snowy details here...the Echo Park papers, the ribbon, button and snowflake die cut! I added a bit of Stickles and a few pearls. Have a great day and I'll probably be back later with more to share!

Thanks for stopping by!

TREE-mendous at Stamptacular Sunday Challenge!

Good morning! It's going to be a busy Sunday for me. I have to work and then try to get a few more things ready for the big day at the end of the week! Wanna play along in a fun challenge? Check out the Stamptacular Sunday Challenge where this week's theme is to use a TREE on your project or card. It's week three of my Guest Designer month and I can't believe it's almost over.

I used this adorable PI girl image called Sending You a Little Christmas by My Favorite Things. I colored it with copics and added a bit of Stickles to her hat and boots. I also used my dimensional snow paint on the ground around her. Doesn't it look like she is standing right in the snow?! Anyway, I used papers from the BoBunny Winter Joy collection. There's even trees in my background paper too! I'm just gonna list the rest of my supplies...Whimsy snowflake die, Bazzill brad, Martha Stewart snowflake punch and some pearls! The sentiment is from MFT's Merry & Bright set.

Be sure to stop by the Stamptacular Sunday Challenge blog to see what the very talented Design Team has to share with you today!

Challenges:
Stamptacular Sunday #90 - TREE-mendous
Sentimental Sundays #34 - Inspired by a Song - "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"
The Pink Elephant #90 - Winter Wonderland
Stampin Royalty #50 - Bring on the Bling!
Cute Card Thursday #143 - One for the Kids
Fussy and Fancy Friday - Show us Some Snow
Sweet Stampin' Challenge - Celebrations!
Dutch Dare Card Challenge #93 - Winter
My Favorite Things - Wednesday Stamp Club - PI Christmas

Thanks for stopping by!

Baby It's Cold Outside...

It's week two of being the Guest Designer at the Stamptacular Sunday challenge and this week's theme is Winter Wishes!

When I saw these papers from Basic Grey's Eskimo Kisses collection, I just had to have them! They are perfect for my little Winter scene complete with adorable Snow Day PI girl from My Favorite Things and my new favorite die set...the snowflakes from Our Daily Bread Designs. My sentiment and snowflake stamp is from the MFT's Baby It's Cold Outside set. This oh so sweet little girl is colored with Copics and some Stardust Stickles added the bling to her cute hat!

I started with a rough sketch, layered up all my papers and added the shimmery red, pink and blue flourish die cut snowflakes and some ribbon...also from MFT! An irridescent snowflake and a few pearls top it off. I cut my circle with a Fiskars punch and stamped my sentiment and snowflake in ColorBox Dark Brown and dabbed the center with some more Stickles. I added some dimensional snow paint to the snowballs and ground in front of her to give it the puffy texture...it looks so real!

Challenges:
Stamptacular Sunday #89 - Winter Wishes
My Favorite Things Wednesday Stamp Club - Winter Wonderland
City Crafter Challenge #34 - Let It Snow
Little Red Wagon #58 - Use a Die Cut
Pixie Dust Studio #52 - Let It Snow
Sundays With Chrissy #12 - Winter is Here!
Totally Gorjuss #60 - Snow!
Sentimental Sundays #33 - Let It Snow!
Cupcake Inspirations #89 - Snowflake Cupcake Inspiration

Thanks for stopping by!

Stamptacular Sunday Challenge Guest Designer!

Hi there! I'm here with my first project as a Guest Designer at the Stamptacular Sunday Challenge for the month of December! Our first challenge theme this month is Blue, Blue Christmas!

Now, I can honestly say I am not usually a fan of blue at Christmas...not sure why, just not a fan. But, after creating this card, I may have to go a little crazy and add a little bit of blue at Christmas every now and then! I really love how it turned out!

I used one of my new favorite Christmas stamp sets from Flourishes called Christmas Classics. I stamped it and paper-pieced the stockings with these beautiful BoBunny Snowy Serenade papers I had left over from last Winter. Then I colored the rest of the image with many shades of blue Copics, stamped my sentiment from Flourishes Sweets of the Season set and cut it out with a Spellbinders die. I added some sparkly light blue ribbon and a shimmery turquoise ribbon to make a bundle of bows. I used another Spellbinders die to cut some flourish shapes and tucked them in behind my sentiment. A couple of blue pearls and a bit of Whirlpool Stickles make it a Blue, Blue Christmas card!

Be sure to stop by the Stamptacular Sunday Challenge Blog for all the details of the new challenge and leave a little love for their very talented Design Team too!

Challenges:
Stamptacular Sunday - Blue, Blue Christmas
Cute Card Thursday #141 - The Blues!
City Crafter Challenge #33 - Blue Christmas
The Creative Cottage #28 - Untraditional Christmas
Dutch Dare Card Challenge #92 - Christmas

Thanks for stopping by!

Some Happy News...

I'm on a field trip in D.C. today, but I wanted to make a little announcement. I had two fabulous crafty opportunities come my way this weekend and I want to share them with you!

I don't know if you noticed the new badge on my sidebar (it's been there since the weekend), but I am now a member of the Whimsy Stamps Digital Design Team!!! I was thrilled when Denise asked me to join her team as I have been wanting to be involved with a stamp company for some time now. At Whimsy Stamps and the Inspiration Blog, there are new releases every 1st of the month, so make sure you join me! I will also be posting weekly on my blog using the latest releases from Whimsy Stamps, Meljen's Designs, Crissy's Digis, Raindrop Echo Designs and Big Hug Creations! I can't wait to get started!

And, for my second bit of news... I was asked to be a Guest Designer for the month of December at Stamptacular Sunday Challenge Blog! I really enjoy joining in on their challenges, so I was naturally honored to be chosen by the Design Team to join them! It's going to be a busy month, but I think we'll have lots of fun! Stay tuned for my first post in the beginning of December!


Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your day!

You're the friend...

Hi there! This is what you get when you have a blogging paper crafter home all by herself on a rainy day...lots of posts!

This one is for a few challenges...I love it when it just works out that way! I am a little burned out on Fall and Halloween cards, so I took a break and used one of my favorite combos...turquoise and black!

This technique is background stamping on acetate. I stamped my wild roses with white onto acetate and then backed it with a dark color to show it off and protect the ink. Then I stamped my sentiment (PTI) on the front of the acetate. You can see it better in the inset picture. I just went to town after that...lace, ribbon, bling, flower, leaves, more bling, a button with bling, a blingy butterfly and some pearls! Basically, me on a card!

Guess I should go figure out what to make for dinner since both kids' games were cancelled due to rain...I wasn't planning on being home for dinner. No problem though...I'll whip something up! Have a great night!

Challenges:
Just Us Girls #54 - acetate
Sweet Stampin' #47 - diamonds are a girls best friend
Cute Card Thursday #134 - what's buggin' you (butterfly)
Flutter By Wednesday #126 - butterfly
City Crafter Challenge #26 - take flight (butterfly)
Stamptacular Sunday #80 - BFF - buttons , flowers, friends

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget about my Follow Me blog candy...you can find it HERE...until October 17th!

Love You...

Hi there! Just popping in to share this little sweetie of a card today! I made this using the Taylored Expressions Sketch Challenge #130 sketch and I'm going to take the plunge and enter the My Favorite Things October 2010 Guest Designer Challenge! It would be an honor to join their talented group if even for a month! I admire so many of their designers work and I am inspired every day by them!

I used the image from the MFT Friends Forever Jolinne set and the sentiment from the Just For You set. The Challenge is a color challenge to use raspberry, lime green and aqua with an optional color of yellow. I simply adore this paper collection and it had all the perfect colors! I even added just a touch of yellow in the center of my smaller butterfly! I cut out the image using the Spellbinders Labels Sixteen die set - a new favorite of mine!

I have a little girl (who's not so little anymore!) and she always loved to dress up like her dolls. We had American Girl dolls and the matching dresses for her too. That inspired me to make the teddy bear wear a matching dress to Jolinne's! I colored them using copics and then added all the details including the Die-namics Rounded Banner Trio to frame my sentiment! I punched a couple of butterflies, added a little striped sheer ribbon and a few pearls to add a little shimmer!

More Challenges:
The Pink Elephant #85 - childhood
Stamptacular Sunday #79 - layers

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget about my Follow Me blog candy...you can find it HERE...until October 17th!

Happy Halloween!

Hi there! I have another card to share today...it's cute and fun and that's what we need right now on a rainy Monday here! I used this adorable witch who is obviously on her way to a party! She is called Spooky Birthday from Tiddly Inks and you can get her here! Their challenge ending today is to use Diamond Glaze or Crackle and as you can see from my inset pic, I went for the glossy on both the cake and the gift bag!

I colored her with copics and I have to say I am still not a fan of coloring black on images, but I am learning! I couldn't wait to use this funky plaid Halloween ribbon! This paper is just too cute with all the candy and goodies! Of course I had to add a sparkly crow and a little star charm to bling it up a bit...oh and there's yellow Stickles on her hat too! The sentiment is from The Cutting Cafe' Halloween This and That Set! A few colored pearls and tada!

Challenges:
Tiddly Inks Challenge #23 - Diamond Glaze or Crackle
Copic Oz #3 - All Together Spooky
Cupcake Inspirations #79 - Halloween Cupcake photo
Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #87 - Sketch
4 Crafty Chicks #5 - Bird
Create: Challenge - Halloween
Stamptacular Sunday #79 - Layers
There She Goes #75 - Orange, Purple, Lime Green
The Pink Elephant #85 - Childhood (Halloween parties)

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget about my Follow Me blog candy...you can find it HERE...until October 17th!

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

Edit: This card won Top 3 at The Creative Cottage challenge!


Are you singing it now too! I am! It's Sunday and it's time for another Paper Sundaes Challenge! This week's theme is Something From Your Stash! The challenge is sponsored by Karen's Doodles and the design team was generously given our choice of image to use on our project! I knew I had to have this adorable image the moment I saw it. It reminds me of my daughter and my first dog I got right before I got married...a parti-colored Cocker Spaniel named Scooter! The image is called "Skating Fun" and you can find it HERE!

I printed it out and colored her and her furry friend with copics. Then I added a dose of bling with some Stickles in various colors...Frosted Lace for the ice, Lavender on the fringe of her scarf and Crystal for her mitten edge and over the color on her earmuffs! Oh how I love bling! After I chose my sketch (from Sketch For You To Try at i{heart}2stamp), I started layering it up.

I cut out a few snowflakes with my Martha Stewart punch and layered them atop each other in various combinations of the beautiful papers in this new BoBunny Winter Joy collection. Then I added a little more bling with Frosted Lace on the edges of the flakes. The centers are blingy blue snowflakes from the $1 bling that comes out every season at Michael's. Mine is from last year - hence, using something from my stash! The lavender ribbon has also spent a long time in my ribbon drawer so it was time to get it out! I love bows! All the edges of the papers are inked with Memento purple ink and that catchy little tune you can't get out of your head right now is part of the Winter Joy Cut Outs page!

Other Challenges:
S4YTT - sketch
Stamptacular Sunday #79 - Layer It On
The Creative Cottage #24 - Bling It On


Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget about my Follow Me blog candy...you can find it HERE...until October 17th!

Give Thanks...

Hi there - working long hours these next two days, but I had some time to get this Fall beauty done! I used two JustRite Stampers sets for this one...Autumn Blessings for the center image and sentiment words and Backyard Birds for the round leaf border. I colored everything with copics and added all the trimmings...vintage lace, ruffly ribbon and bow, gold pearls and chipboard flourishes all atop this gorgeous K & Co. embossed pumpkin paper!

Challenges:
JustRite Friday Challenge 037 - sketch
Flourishes Timeless Tuesday #86 - Harvest Home
Flourishes Bring Back Beautiful 2 - Rustic Beauty
Create: - Leaves
Stamp Something - Fall Colors
Meljen's #26 - Autumn Colors
Crafty Creations #86 - Falling Leaves
Stamptacular Sunday #78 - Season's Change
Simon Says Challenge - It's Autumn!
Wild Orchid #6 - Ribbons and Bows
Tuesday Taggers - Here Comes Autumn

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget about my Follow Me blog candy...you can find it HERE...until October 17th!

Edit: This card won Honorable Mention at the JustRite Friday Challenge 037!

Wish You Were Here...

I hope you are having a great evening! I just wanted to share this card that I made for all those Fall challenges out there right now. I have been wanting to ink up my new Flourishes stamp sets and I am so glad I chose this one to start with tonight! It's call Windows to the World and I love to color the inside of windows with that warm glow. It just feels so cozy. I am also loving this new K & Co. paper pad. The leaves, Fall colors, plaid and the swirls are right up my alley! I got this ribbon on the clearance rack too!

Challenges:
Mojo Monday #158 - sketch
Flourishes Bring Back Beautiful 2 - Rustic Beauty
Create: - Leaves
Stamp Something - Fall Colors
4 Crafty Chicks #4 - Fall
Meljen's #26 - Autumn Colors
Crafty Creations #86 - Falling Leaves
Stamptacular Sunday #78 - Season's Change
Wild Orchid #6 - Ribbons and Bows

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget about my Follow Me blog candy...you can find it HERE...until October 17th!

My First Cutting Cafe Creation!

Edit: This project was chosen as a Flourishes True Beauty at Flourishes Bring Back Beautiful 2 Challenge - Rustic Beauty, Top 5 at Meljen's and was featured at the Create: blog!

I was going to wait a few days to spread the news, but it was announced on The Cutting Cafe' blog today and I can't keep it in any longer! I applied for the DT thinking there was little chance I would make it, but to my surprise, Regina contacted me last week and gave me the news! I made it! You have no idea how excited I was to hear that I would be creating with her awesome (and big!) design team for the next few months and using all of her wonderful digital stamps and templates!

My first creation for The Cutting Cafe' is this Fall inspired Leaf Shaped Card. The set comes with the card base template, the leaf shape template and two sentiments. I cut out the card base on dark brown cardstock and the card shape using K & Co. dp paper with these rich colored leaves on it. Then I cut out the six larger leaves from the same paper, inked all the edges in ColorBox Chestnut Roan and folded them in half to give them some dimension. I used my Sizzix Bigz Die - Hello Kitty Flower Bouquet to cut out the swirls using the dark brown cardstock.

The round sentiment is also from the Leaf Shaped Card cutting file. I cut it out using a Fiskars punch and inked the edges with Chestnut Roan then inked the center with Ranger Distress Tea Dye for an aged look. The smaller leaves and acorns are from a coordinating K & Co. dimensional sticker set. I added a dark brown organdy bow and some Ranger Distress Stickles in Vintage Photo to the edges of the swirls for a little sparkle. A brown pearl in the center of the acorns finished it off! (The inset picture is a back view so you can see the shape of the card without embellishments)

Challenges:
Flourishes Bring Back Beautiful 2 - Rustic Beauty
Create: - Leaves
Stamp Something - Fall Colors
4 Crafty Chicks #4 - Fall
Meljen's #26 - Autumn Colors
Just Us Girls #52 - template
Crafty Creations #86 - Falling Leaves
Stamptacular Sunday #78 - Season's Change
Wild Orchid #6 - Ribbons and Bows
InStyle Stamps - Fall Is In The Air - monthly color challenge

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget about my Follow Me blog candy...you can find it HERE...until October 17th!