Birthday Wishes & Butterfly Kisses

Hello there and happy Tuesday! Today I'm sharing a birthday card I made for this week's Teapot Tuesday Challenge over at SCS MMTPT190 Dancing With The Chars! Mothermark has such a lovely story to tell this week, with the first ever "dancing with the stars" butterfly duo, Lars and Shania Char! Won't you come visit and make a pretty butterfly themed card with the teapotter's too?! I sure hope so! There's a great destination for our card's this week too--if you so chose, you may send your challenge card to a fellow teapotter's Mom, JOAN whose birthday is coming up on the 22nd and she adores butterflies so I hope she enjoy's all her birthday wishes and butterfly kisses!

I'm also entering this card for

 The Pixie Cottage challenge #112- PERFECT PASTELS (w/an optional sketch!)

Allsorts Challenge #146- Three in a Row

 This sweet little girl is a digi image from Mami Doodles and I just love her! Patterned paper is new Prima Marketing "Songbird" Collection and prima roses;Butterflies cut from "Give A Hoot" Cricut cartridge, cuttled with Swiss Dots embossing folder

Alright, that's all for now! I really got behind with my crafting last week but I'm playing catch up today! Thank you so much for stopping by and I wish you a fabulous first day of Spring!!! :)

Another Monday, Cowgirl Up!

Happy Monday pardner, hope your week is off to a great start! I made this fun card for a couple of challenges:
1- SplitcoastStampers Mini Virtual Stamp Night challenge HERE to make a card with "all the twists and turns of Spring" (open to play through today!)
2- Craft Your Days Away challenge #38 HERE "Gettin Stitchy With It!" (open to play til 2/16)
I combined the challenges making my lil rodeo cowgirl card, which at first glance doesn't remind one of Spring, but when I saw my stitched flourish rub-ons I immediately pulled out this stamp set from My Favorite Things "Ride Em Cowgirl" and thought, hey how bout a Spring Fair and the rodeo at the fairgrounds? Works for me!

faux stitched flourish rub-ons, double stitched ribbon for the CYDA challenge

I stamped the boots onto a scrap of faux leather, cuttled the skirt with "swiss dots" and a bit of hemp twine on her rope for an added twist :)

Thanks SO MUCH for visiting my blog today! I have a new goal to comment on 20 blogs per day because I have so many wonderful blogging buddies who share endless crafty goodness and support me in such a way, I cannot adequetely express my appreciation--I think it's the best way to let my friends know how much they inspire me and how special they make me feel--you know who you are!!! Thank you!!! Have a beautiful and inspiring day!

Teapot Tuesday Challenge #184

Hello friends! Today I'm excited to share a card I made for a SUPER FUN weekly challenge that takes place over at SCS called Teapot Tuesdays! This was started by the fabulously talented Cindy (aka Mothermark) a long time ago and I've just hopped on board the Teapotter's train! Cindy has a new challenge every Tuesday which is based off a different teapot from her extensive collection--even more fun, each teapot challenge tells a story, a wonderfully creative story!--and by the time youre done reading it, you just wanna run to your craft room and start creating! It's so inspiring and this group of lovely ladies are so supportive, sweet and fun!!! I'm thrilled that I've finally became a "teapotter" and if you wanna be one too, just check out this week's challenge and join the fun--all ya gotta do is click on the link below, read the deets, make a project or card and you're IN! This week's Teapot Tuesday Challenge is................

Oh Gee! Could it be? Someone thinks they're catching me!

Theme based off the teapot image below

And here is my card for this week's challenge

I don't even remember where I bought the stamp from, but I thought it was a hoot lol. I had never even inked it up and today was the day for it! I dug through my little brother's tackle box that he left at my house while visiting last summer and found a few "fishy" embellishments hehe! :)

A few more perks to joining the teapotter's is that there is an optional "Destination Station" thread which allows you to "tickle a teapotter"--translation: send your card to a special recipiant who could use a lil extra love and Cindy provides all the details and address to send your creations.  I love this option because I make a lot of stuff that ends up piling up in my craft room when I know that somebody out there might really enjoy it! So this helps get my cards into the mailbox and off to brighten someone's day! Another thread titled "Apprecation Station" allows you to post your thank you's and warm fuzzies if you happen to recieve a card from a fellow teapotter! Cool beans!!!

There's also a Birthday Bash list of all "Teapotter's" that you may refer to and send a birthday wish their way! Again, totally optional--no obligations here except to have a blast!!! I hope you will give Teapot Tuesday a go, it's awesome! Thanks for stopping by my creative friends! Hope you have a beautiful day!

A Teapot Tuesday and Color Combo Challenge

Hello my friends and happy Tuesday. If you're a stamper, you probably know SplitCoastStampers very well and if not, you are truly missing out! This site is the King of stamping inspritaion hands down and I would venture to say also the best for any papercrafter or scrapbooker alike! It is indeed, my favorite!!! Today I got some much needed inspiration for 2 different challenges over at SCS--one for Mothermark's Teapot Tuesday Challenge, a monthly challenge that is just so much fun, I'm mad at myself for not participating in it sooner! My baby card is inspired from Julia's color challenge this week, get inspired by it HERE!
Up first, my alien themed card for the Teapot Tuesday challenge. I love my "Lost In Space" stamp set from Clear Dollar Stamps! I cut my card from Cricut's Wild Card cartridge to take my ordinary card to another dimension! :)

 Below is my card for the color challenge of White, Island Indigo and Pool Party. I got as close as I could in colors and the Precious Baby sentiment from My Creative Time's Teeny Tag Greetings stamp set.  This is another shaped card using my Wild Card cartridge, I just can't get enough of it!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful evening. Hope to see you tomorrow!

Feelin' Festive Tonight!

Hello my lovely friends, I hope everyone is enjoying a wonderufl weekend! I'm totally feeling the holiday spirit creeping up on me and I can tell ya from here til December 24th, I'll be making A LOT of Christmas stuff lol. I checked out this weekend's Inspiration Challenge at SCS and it was the coolest! I spent a good hour gazing through the online store of Sally Meekin's Ceramics and fell in love with her work! Sally's designs is miniature ceramic artwork and it'so delightful and unique with a touch of nostalgia, I just love it! I chose to use this precious Christmas Manger Teapot for inspiration on my card below. I couldn't help but think of the sweet little baby Jesus from Cricut's Winter Frolic cartridge and quickly went to work. I really enjoyed making this one :)

Baby Jesus and star cut from Winter Frolic Cricut cartridge, sentiment from Studio G.

Mr. Snowman from My Creative Time's All Around Accessories set was calling to me so I couldn't neglect him! I stamped him in Memento's tuxedo black and filled him in with white liquid applique and got tickled pink like I always do when I heated it up and watched it get puffy!! :D  Round is a great shape--when you're a snowman, hehe--so I cut the scalloped circle card from my Wild Card cartridge at 5 1/2", layered with green patterned paper and a white doily. I just added a few embellies that seemed to feel right without much tought so I'm not sure if it's a perfect look but that's okay too :)

Snowman: My Creative Time "All Around Accessories", Scalloped circle card shape cut from WildCard cartridge, buttons Making Memories and Creative Imaginations, Think Snow pieces from JoAnn's, ribbon from Gina K. Designs.

Thank you very much for taking time to visit my blog. You know it really means so much to me!

Playing Catch up!

Gosh, where the heck did this week go?! I cannot believe it's already Friday!! I'll be working CKC Seattle all weekend so I had to get some cards done earlier this week and now I am finally postin 'em during my half hour lunch break lol....

My first card is a re-do for Throwback Thursday with My Creative Time.  This is my first week as a designer for Emma's awesome company and I am embarrassed to admit that it's also my first ever participation for Throwback Thursday--I knowww....but I will most certainly be playing every week for eternity now!! I didn't know that Throwback Thursday requires a creation using a Cricut cartridge and my card for this challenge yesterday didn't have ANYthing from my cricut on it--eek--so here is my RockStar redo! I used Once Upon A Princess for my little rock star girl and star sentiment.  Emma's and my fellow dt's members cards are SO much cuter thank mine with their Peachy Keen Stamps wide eyed kids and I'm ordering them tonight when I get home!!!

I also took part in a couple challenges over at SCS this week so here they are. 

My card for My Favorite Things sketch challenge #45.  They pick a random person to win a $15 gift certificate to MFT and if you use MFT stamps, it's $20--I have MFT stamps, I love them....so DUH, of course I played! ;)

I also joined in Splitcoast's Tuesday's sketch challenge #358 and after visiting Inky Antics blog and being so inspired, I pulled out my Inky Antics little mouse in a pumpkin and cute sentiment (which is now discontinued but will always be alive and well in my craft room) for this Thanksgiving card. It paid off too because Jackie's drew ME from her post comments the other day and now my Sweety Snowman clear stamp set prize on its way!! Yippee :D

Ok I'm done! haha :) If you're still here, thanks! I hope you have a WONDERFUL weekend!!!! xoxo

A Lil' Sweet and Sassy

Hi, hope you are enjoying your Sunday! Here are a couple cards I made for Sweet and Sassy stamps challenges over at SCS.  They are celebrating their 4th birthday all month with a bunch of challenges and they're giving away a bunch of stamps too. Niceeee ;)

Sketch from SNSS challenge #1, Turkey image and sentiment from Sweet & Sassy stamps, Basic Grey paper

For SNSS Challenge #3, Sentiment from Sweet & Sassy stamps, Fancy Label die from My Creative Time, birdcage image cut from Winter Frolic Cricut cartridge

Thanks for stopping by, have a great one!!! 

So Grateful for The SCS Inspiration Challenge!

Hello, I hope you are enjoying your weekend. I was able to create a few cards today, one of which is this one below. I used Stef's wonderful inspiration challenge #207 over at splitcoast. This week, we drew our inspiration from the fabulous Etsy shop of Aimoobaroo and her delightful fabic covered buttons! Specifically, I chose these lovely brocade fabric covered buttons for my card inspiration. The colors on these buttons are full of rich texture, really making them classic beauties. I used a deep rust cardstock against the ivory base for a contrast and also slid my tim holtz rich brown ink pad around every layer for more depth. These patterns are from some of last years Cosmo Cricket designs. This classic Thanksgiving set from Gina K. Designs is called So Grateful and was illustrated by the very talented and wonderful Rupa Shevde. I love every single set Rupa has ever created and this one is certainly no exception. The image was colored with a variety of SU! inks and blender pens and outlined with the cool grey no.1 Copic marker. The staked border along the bottom was done with some decorative scissors given to me by my great pal and fellow Clear Artistic Stamps designer, Wendi. She is such a sweetheart! :) thanks Wendi!

Thanks so much for visiting! have a wonderful Sunday and happy crafting

It's Happy Hour!

Ok, so it's actually 11:50 pm right now and totally past happy hour, but who cares!!! At Viva Las VSN mini, we never sleep! So, here's my card for Carolina's refreshing HAPPY HOUR challenge, to create a card using your favorite cocktail for inspiration!
Even though I was drinking my diet coke while creating this card and I've never had an "Affair" (the drink or otherwise, lol!), I thought this drink sounded so yuummers!! 2 oz Strawberry schnapps 2 oz Orange juice 2 oz Cranberry juice Club soda. Pour schnapps, orange juice, and cranberry juice over ice in a highball glass. Top with club soda and serve. Mr. Crabby seems to enjoy them!
I inked up Just Be-Claws and You Are My Sunshine from Gina K. Designs for this one. Oh, how I envy Mr. Crabby claws, enjoying his yummy drink on the beach....mabye one day..... :)
Thank you SO MUCH for visiting me! Have a wonderful day! Cheers!!!

A Furr-Tastic Color Challenge!

Hello, happy Tuesday and what a beautiful day it is here in Seattle, 70 degrees again and in early April! ....ok, why am I sitting in the house typing and not outside enjoying it?!! lol! Anyway, I had a great time with Emily's SCS color challenge #213, so saffron-close to cocoa-bashful blue and I got to play with the furr-tastic new stamp set from (c) Clear Dollar Stamps, Woodland Critters!! Isn't this little fella a cutie pie! I colored him with koh-i-noor pencils and blended with baby oil, then colored over areas of him with a sierra brown prismacolor marker for a bit of depth. The saffron panel is cuttlebugged with the "bloom dots" embossing folder and the rest is pretty self-explanatory.

supplies list: white cardstock, bazzill sky blue and cocoa cardstock, SU! so saffron cardstock, Cuttlebug and flower dots embossing folder, Memento ink in rich cocoa and tuxedo black, koh-i-noor colored pencils, baby oil, blending stump, provo scalloped photo corner punch, provo large scalloped square punch, SU! small and large oval punches, Prismacolor markers, Inksentials white gel pen, prima flowers, mini brad, white striped sheer ribbon, pop dots.

Thanks so much for visiting me! Have a wonderful day!

It's A Twinkling Tuesday!

At least it is for me because I found a fun blog with a fun name, Madelynn's Twinkling Tuesdays and they have a super cute sketch up today that provided me some much needed inspiration! I also attempted Jodi's (regularly Emily's) color challenge CC211 over at SCS--pretty in pink, kiwi kiss and baja breeze. I inked up my cupcake flopsey for the first time--can't believe I didn't sooner, he's so darn cute!

Thank you for visiting me! I hope you have a super sweet day!

I made this card for 2 challenges. SCS's Technique Lover's Challenge to do a speckled background....hey, I tried! lol! It doesn't show up here, but I did get a nice effect on the card. I also played along in this weeks Our Creative Corner challenge to make something with a snowman or snowflakes or both! I just love this darling snowfamily from Cornish Heritage Farms. Thanks for visiting me! hugs and happy creating!

Summer Surprise Pop Up Card!

Hello, today I tried a new technique for Splitcoast's Technique Lovers challenge--a surprise pop up card, fuN! Beate offers a wonderful tutorial to make it HERE. Don't be afraid...I was and it turned out to be a-okay! Oooh, I really wish I was sipping a glass of ice cold pink lemonade in the hot sun, but alas--it's been a rainy and windy June day for us here in the Northwest, which doesn't seem so Great right now. This image and sentiment are from Gina K.'s "You Are My Sunshine" set. Can you believe this set is Gina's *free with three* set for May? Amazing considering that this set will be sold for almost $20 in the future-wow! Gina K. is really generous! I added pink sherbert Sparklets to the lemonade, a few pink prima flowers were added and for the front, "Sultry" striped designer paper from Basic Grey. This card is more vibrant irl, but I hope you enjoy viewing it anyway. Thank you so much for visiting today! Off to see what fabulous creations you all have come up over the weekend! Hugs!

Just Be Claws

This is what I came up with for the Thursday SCS Challenge to use "inchies"--well, I never knew what inchies were, but I figured out that for me, they are simply 1x1" sqaures, easy enough! I used my "Just Be Claws" set by Gina K. and it was fuN! I added fruit punch stickles to my crab and used my favorite pen ever, the metallic silver zig painty to color the pail. That wood paper is from Paper Pizzazz, the sea foam glitter paper is by Darice and the hemp twine from Jacksonbelle Embellishments around the oval frame. I glued a couple mini sea shells onto the glitter "inchie" squares and sprinkled some fun *fishy-scale-like* glitter too! This card is getting zero love in the SCS gallery, but I like it and I'm proud of it, so here it is anywayz! Hugs, my friends and happy Thursday!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Hola, amigos! Happy Monday and happy Cinco de Mayo! To celebrate the holiday in conjunction with the "Try A New Technique" challenge at SCS to make a Diorama Card, I created this!

Now, this is the bunny from Melanie Muenchinger's Just So Hoppy Set and if you've seen or own her newest set "Hip Hop Accessories", you know that she did not include a bunny *baby* and I'm glad for it! This bunny is not ready for commitment or children, nope! No tieing this guy down just yet, he still has some partying to do! I think he's had a few shots of that tequila and is really feeling good! And it's a good thing, too because I accidentally snipped off one of his eyelashes...ouch!!..and no, I didn't drink any shots myself, lol! I will take one of those tacos, though, yummo! Taco, anyone?!

This bunny is my favorite thing to dress up--time and time again, I go to this very stamp, cut it out and dress it to whatever theme I'm in the mood for. And it works every time--my favorite are the Jolee's botique 3-D stickers that come in every theme under the sun--they are SO much fun and these Mexico themed ones were perfect for today! Hope you get a chance to make a diorama card too, it was my first one and it was fun and easy! Have a great Cinco de Mayo, amigos! Hugs!

Your New Nest

Hello, sorry for not posting yesterday--no mojo! SCS's sketch challenge is just what I needed to give me a creative boost! I inked up my brand new "Owl Always Love You" set from Gina K. Designs and let me tell ya, I could hoot-n-hollar about this wonderfuls set all day long! It has several unique and fun sentiments that coordinate with the owl images and they are super fun to color!

Do you like this floral patterned paper? My friend, Pushpa helped me discover it recently and I am in love with it! It's called Kaiser and it's from Australia, here is a link to the website Kaiser Craft, it's brimming with inspiration! I used my Coluzzle circle template for the matting. Some pink and chocolate sheer dotted ribbon from Jacksonbelle Embellishments was added with a white heart-top stick pin pushed thru and 3 diamond bling gems on the circle frame for some extra bling. This is going to a friend who is moving into a new home soon--how egg-citing! hehe! (another sentiment that comes with this set and perfect for the inside of my card) Well, that's it for now. Thanks for visiting me today! ~hugs and happy stamping~

A Cheeseburger with Ketchup

Here I go again--another food card! I do believe that I may be obsessed! Julia's Ways To Use It challenge this week over at SCS was to use scissors in a a creative way, so I centered this one on cutting rather than stamping. Basically, everything is cut out on the cheeseburger card. I drew each piece so they can be put together separately--like build-a-burger! For those vegetarians out there this is a soy burger, of course! Feel free to copy my pattern, if you are so inclined. The ketchup bottle was created using the pattern provided at Mirkwood Designs. Thanks for the great pattern, Ruth Ann! A couple of notes if you try this:

1. I couldn't come up with anything spectacular to simulate a sesame seed bun top (other than real sesame seeds!) and I am not satisfied with mine. I'm sure many of you can think of something so let me know if you do.
2. Use a hole punch to make Swiss cheese! fun!

Thanks so much for visiting my blog today! So, how you want your burger?! LOL!

Hula Bunny

Bunny has had enough of this cold weather, "winter" thing--phooey! She got herself a ticket to paradise and is now soakin' up the sun on a sandy white beach with a tropical drink in her...ummm...paw? lol! Can you tell, I'm ready for summer?! This card uses Roxie's sketch for this week's sketch challenge over at SCS, check it out HERE! Thanks to Pinefeather for the original sketch idea--she's a popular girl, featured in 2 challenges this week alone!!

Now, you may recognize "hula bunny" as Melanie Muenchinger's bunny from her Just So Hoppy set and if so, you are right! I made her hula skirt, the other accessories are from Jolee's botique. Thanks so much for taking some time to visit me today. It means so much and I look forward to seeing what you've been up to as well! ~hugs and happy stamping~

A Wedding Favor Tin

Hello! I thought I would share this tin I've altered into a wedding or party favor using Melanie M.'s "What's In Your Tin" stamp set--genius, that girl is! The tins and her stamp sets are available at Gina K. Designs. Those little rings and the tulle are leftovers from my wedding favors, so I could make a ton of these things if there were a need. My cousin is getting married in Napa this July, but she is certain to have much more elaborate favors than this--she's not so much the diy kinda girl that I am, hehe! Speaking of altered tins, have you seen all the FABulous tin projects that were created for Melanie's Tin contest?! They are all so awesome and I plan on casing all of 'em! Check them out here, but don't vote because the contest is over, just some great inspiration, though!

I also played SplitCoast's "Try A New Technique" challenge which shows you how to make this fun and super easy gift card holder. That cake and sentiment are from Gina K.'s "How Sweet It Is" Stamp For A Cause set--$7 of this set goes to Diabetes research of all kinds, which is very important to me and my family personally. My brother lives with Juvenile Diabetes and we all live with the belief that a cure will be discovered. Generosity and support thru projects such as Stamps For A Cause are what will make it happen. Thanks for visiting today, friends! ~hugs and happy stamping~

Sugared Fruit Double Pocket Card

Hello friends! Hope you had a great weekend--now, back to the grind. Today's "Try A New Technique" challenge at SplitCoast was to make a "double pocket card", which was new to me. The tutorial provided by Judy was easy to understand and simple too, cool! You can find the tutorial at Judy's blog, Joy In A Jar. I *sugared* my lemons and limes from SU! Tart-n-Tangy stamp set with diamond stickles. Those flowers and the big yellow brads were pre-sugared (they came that way). This designer patterned paper was sent by my super sweet Mom, who totally goes overboard when buying papercrafting supplies and embellishies for me! What can I say, she's the bestest mommy ever!!! Thanks so much for visiting me today! ~hugs and happy stamping~