Good Eats

There was a one-hour challenge over at Club CK today, and the requirements were to use shapes to reinforce the layout.  I didn't make it in time for the live challenge, but this is what I came up with.

I think my very favorite thing about these photos is seeing Shane's "tail" on his hair.  I remember that he wanted that tail as all his other little friends had them.  See, he was a hair fashionista way back when he was 4 years old!  If you click on the picture, you'll see that Shane was using a cookbook to make the pizza.  It is the Betty Crocker Junior Cookbook, and he LOVED using it.  From the time he could stand, I let Shane be on a chair in the kitchen.  Today, I can say that he is a really, really good cook!  I have been slowing buidling a cookbook for him in a 12x12 album, so this is going to go in that book.

I used CTMH's "You Rock" paper .  I cut the stars from a sheet of the paper and mounted them with foam circles.  The silverware and "good eats" are from the Slice Bon Appetit card.

Jerry's Work Anniversary

I am so darn proud of my husband!  Yesterday was his 20th anniversary at Abra Auto Body as a paint technician.  The "big guys" came to celebrate him with a cake, and they gave him a really nice watch.

It is rare these days to hear of someone being at a job for 20 years.  With the economy and lay-offs, it is not always possible to do that. I am so thankful that God blessed Jerry with this job!

Happy 20th Anniversary, honey!!



I'll be bakc later with some more artwork.  I've been working on design team projects, but I think I'll squeeze something in that you can see today!

Page Maps

I saw the Page Maps sketch and just loved it.  I wasn't quite sure what I was going to with it, but then sometimes pictures and papers have a way of falling right on to my desk.  Must be that scrapbook fairy! ;) 

This is a picture of Shane at the Minnesota Zoo when we went to the dinosaur exhibit.  Oh my goodness, I remember thinking this was the cutest picture ever!  Bella Blvd's new Mr. Boy papers were perfect. The dinosaur and clouds are cut-outs in the collection.  I used my Slice Big Kids card to cut "No!"  What fun product for this picture!

New Challenge at The Studio

The card challenge at The Studio is to create a card using a photo.  Oh, I knew just what picture and stamp I wanted to use!

This is a picture from Mille Lacs Lake.  We are so fortunate to be the "land of 10,000+ lakes" here in Minnesota.  I whine about wanting to move south when we have these loooong winters, but the truth is that I would miss the sweet summer days on the lake.  Mille Lacs is north of us, and we go there often. 

I stamped directly on the photo with white Staz-On.  The sentiment from Unity reads: "go for long walks, indulge in hot baths, question your assumptions, be kind to yourself, live for the moment, loosen up, scream, curse the world, count your blessings, jsut let go, just be."  I love that one and I think this picture was perfect for the sentiment.

We'd love for you to play along at The Studio!  Link up your creation on the sidebar for the chance to win this month's prize!

Close To My Heart "Hope for Japan" Stamp Set

You all know that even though I am not a consultant any more, Close To My Heart remains very close to my heart.  This beautiful stamp set is being sold for $5 in order to benefit the people in Japan.  100% of the profits will go straight to the American Red Cross.  I think that this is one of the most generous gestures!!  The pictures we have seen in the papers, online, and in the news have been horrific.  What a nice way to help in a very small way that will accumulate to help others in a very large way.
If you don't have a consultant, I would like to direct you to my dear friend, Karen Pedersen and her blog.  You can shop on her website to order this set.  You can either enter #A1118 or click on  Hope for Japan  under the Shop Online tab.  There is no limit so if you need gifts for crafting buddies, this would be a great buy!  I will be leaving a link on my left sidebar so that you will not have to search for this post.  I can hardly wait to see all the beautiful projects that will be created with this set knowing how much heart went into the designing of the set!!

it's all perspective.

I don't seem to be making many pages these days, so I determined today to change that. I am often working on cards for design teams, and while that is happening, my pictures are piling up! So I grabbed some pictures of Sassy today, and put them to paper.

I used a Level 1 Wings pre-printed layout from CTMH. I am so very sad that these are being discontinued! When I was with CTMH, I created a card class using Level 1 pre-printed layouts for Convention. I still hear that people are using the pattern to teach classes and enhance their business. Isn't that wonderful?! Anyway, can you tell that this is a pre-printed layout? Not at all! I love the sturdiness of Level 1 pages that so easily go right in a memory book without any matting. Now these are funny pictures of my Sassy (Sarsparilla, Sassy-Doodle, Sassy Pants, Miss Bean - she answers to those and a lot of others!). When she wants alone time, she lays facing a wall. So goofy! I thought Tim Holtz' stamp - "it's all perspective" - was just perfect. The butterfly stamp is from the CTMH January stamp of the month. The embellishments, including the pleated ribbon are all CTMH.

Don't Worry, Be Happy

It's the 21st and time for another card sketch at Sassy Lil Card Sketches!  Here's Cherie's sketch for the week:

I am using paper from our generous sponsor, Nikki Sivils.  This is the Beatrice collection:

I had so much fun with this sketch!  As you can see, I flipped it.  One of the pieces in the collection is a scallop-bordered 12x12 sheet, so I used that as a starting point to create this 3-1/2 x 8 card.  Beatrice is a cutie, and I can just picture her saying "don't worry, be happy."  This is super fun paper!  Be sure to go to Nikki's product page and look at the rest of her papers.  It's all so stinkin' cute!!

Play along with this month and link up your card by April 5th.  Each time you play with the four sketches (7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th), you get another chance at winning.  Nikki Sivils is our sponsor this month, so I'm crossing my fingers for you!  I'd love for you to win some of her product!

Thanks So Much

I picked up a couple sheets of Imaginisce's Berrylicious a few weeks ago.  It's such bright cheery paper!

This is jsut a simple card.  I cut an inch off the bottom of the front and continued the patterned paper on the inside.  My favorite part of the card is the sparkling flower.  These are Imaginisce Roly Posies and Pop-Up Posies that I stacked together.  I painted them with rock candy distress paint and then added diamond stickles.  The blue bling added just a little more without taking away the simplicity.  The baker's twine is from Pink Paislee. 

Blues

The sketch at Card Patterns this week is so versatile.  As I was creating my card, I thought of all different kinds of ways to use this:

Here's my card using a variety of blues:

I embossed the focal stamp - Hero Arts' Flower Garden - with CTMH Heavenly Blue embossing powder.  That wooden but on the top is from CTMH (it matches the kraft borders perfectly!), and I've put a CTMH cordouroy brad in the middle.  The inside is stamped with a birthday sentiment.

Adventure

Every time I make a man's card, I wonder why I don't make more of them.  I so love the flowers and all things pretty, but I really enjoy working with the warmth of masculine colors.  I combined three challenges for this card starting with the sketch from Get Sketchy -

Then I added the Stamping Royalty challenge (dry embossing) and The Cuttlebug Spot (dry embossing and twine).

I dry embossed a piece of paper with the Cracked Tim Holtz embossing folder.  From there I sanded the embossing with the Imaginisce de-stress tool, and then rolled the whole thing up into a tight little ball to give it even more of a worn look.  If you use this technique, you'll notice that the paper is really, really soft like leather. The trees and word are from an old, old (and long retired) CTMH stamp set - Hook, Line, and Sinker.  This twine is from Really Reasonable Ribbon. 

In order to achieve that look on the trees, I simply colored them with markers (olive and cocoa CTMH) and then breathed on them.  An old, old trick but still the one I like the best.  I stamped the word adventure in olive green ink and then rolled the bottom edge in cocoa.  I put the center tree on the card with foam circles to add just a little more dimension.

Thanks for visiting today!

Creating Yourself

Time for another challenge at For Your Inspiration!  How did you like the idea of this new challenge blog?  Isn't it fun to create absolutely anything based on the photo?  Here's this week's and it's so beautiful!

I used chalks to create my background.  The stamp is from Unity, and I embossed it over the chalk.  It's a very simple card, but could easily be used as the front of a canvas or even part of a centerpiece on the table.

Be sure to check out the rest of the design team's work.  It's amazing how one photo can inspire so many different ideas! 

Beauty...

...is the challenge at Scrap Tiffany this week.  Beauty is interpreted in so many different ways.  Here is what I came up with:

Not many people think browns describe beauty, but I love warm and rich brown colors.  The paper and butterfly are Beloved from Creative Imaginations.  I softly sponged the edges with desert sand ink from CTMH.  Do you see that scalloped border tucked in between the two papers?  That's one of the new kraft color-ready borders from CTMH.  Easily this package of self-adhesive borders are one of the best values around.  The stamp is from the CTMH set "Gracious Greetings."  I used my Tim Holtz tattered floral die for the flowers and added a bit of tulle for a soft touch.

To play along this week, send your project to Tiffany at tiffany@scraptiffany.com.  Leave me a comment if you play.  I'd love to see your "beautiful" creation!

Life is Sweet

It's time for a new sketch reveal at Sassy Lil Card Sketches!  It's not my turn to reveal, but I loved this sketch (as I do all of them!), so I was inspired to pull out some paper.

As you can see, I flipped the sketch.  Other than the May Arts ribbon and card base, this is all Lily Bee's Domestic Bliss.

Remember, you can play along any time during the month with any or all of the sketches.  Each time you play, your name goes in the drawing for the monthly prize.  Our sponsor this month is Nikki Sivils.  Be sure to hop over to Sassy Lil Card sketches blog and check out what the rest of the design team has done!

Lily Bee Challenge

This is my second post for the day, so scroll on down to see my card for The Studio.

Lily Bee's challenge is to make paper embellishments for your layout.  Well, you all know how I like making my own embellishments!  I grabbed some Christmas Town and pictures from Christmas Day 2010.

I made my own poinsetta using instructions from the Paper Studio.  Now as you see, they have you fold three pieces of paper.  I wanted a fuller flower, so I used six pieces.

Don't you love those chipboard buttons from Lily Bee?  The rest of the embellishments are CTMH.

Walking on Sunshine

Time for another challenge at The Studio!  This is a great challenge - created a project based on one of your favorite songs.  "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina & the Waves is one of my very favorite happy songs.  So I pulled out some Bo Bunny Sun-Kissed knowing that it would be bright enough to mimic the sunshine.

The pretty orange twine is from Pink Paislee's House of Three.

Hop over to The Studio challenge blog to see what the rest of the design team has done.  If you play along, you have a chance to win the monthly prize!

Friend

I just got this paper, and I absolutely could not wait to play with it!  It is the Mayberry collection from Close To My Heart, and it's just lovely!  Bright spring colors that have a lot of warmth and depth.  I grabbed the sketch from Get Sketchy, and the colors also fit the lovely Tuesday Trigger at Moxie Fab World.

This is a simple card, and I liked keeping it that way.  It is Mayberry, after all! ;)  I used foam dots to add the three flowers I cut form the paper.  That baker's twine added a nice finishing touch.

Oh My Goodness!

I was told this morning that I am in the Trendsetting Spotlight at There She Goes Clear Stamps!  I was so surprised, and I am always so humbled when my artwork is chosen to be featured somewhere.  Hop over and see there blog - they have some oh, so cute stamp sets!

Now I just noticed that I haven't posted anything new since Monday evening.  Where does the time go?!  I am in my craft room today and tomorrow, so I am planning on sharing new things with you later on.  See you then!

This is Where I Left Off...

Have you been over to The Cutting Cafe lately?  Gosh, Regina has been putting together some great printable stamps!  I used a background and sentiment from one of the new sets Book Box Template.  This set has background papers, bookmarks, a book box, and sentiments.  Now this sentiment is meant for a bookmark, but what a cute note card sentiment to send to a friend when you want to catch up!

Sassy Lil Card Sketches Reveal

I can't believe it's already March 7th and time for another Sassy Lil Card Sketches reveal!  Here's Cherie's sketch for the week along with what I did with it:

Have you seen these papers yet?  This is one of Nikki Sivils new lines - Beatrice. Nikki was so generous and sent the design team members paper to work this.  Such fun product!  Be sure to stop over to here website and look at all six collections!

Now how can you resist that sketch?  Why don't you play along this month?  Here are the details:

March Card Sketches Sponsor:

To be eligible for the prize, you must have your have your card linked up HERE by April 5th!

My Mind's Eye - Challenge 21

I have to tell you that working with My Mind's Eye paper makes me happy!  That's why their sketch challenges this month were perfect.  The theme is "celebrate today," and that was easy to do with these papers!

What is better than celebrating a friendship with a card out of the blue - for absolutely no reason?  That's the celebration I tried to capture with this first project:

I've used Stella and Rose (Hattie) paper, chipboard, and ribbon.  The stamp and ink are CTMH.  You knwo I have to tell you that I finally purches a Scor-Buddy.  Boy does that really help in making rosettes!!  When I had it together, I used my Imaginisce de-stressing tool (great little invention!) to make the white core come out a bit.

Next, I wanted to work with a little Fine and Dandy:

This was Shane's 2nd birthday.  Such a little honey!  You know I work with patterned paper so much that this white background made me feel funny.  However once I added the clouds and gems for sunshine rays, I felt much better!  I cut the smaller clouds out of one of the sheets of paper in the collection.  The stars, letters, and large cloud are Fine and Dandy chipboard. I cut the sun, the number two, and the work birthday with my Slice (Fall and Parties cards).  The punch border is Fiskars upper crest. 

I hope you all are having a very peaceful and relaxing Sunday! 

Friday Fave!

If you are looking for The Studio blog hop, click here.

I had to stop in to let you know that this sweet little face made my layout a Friday Fave at Lily Bee!  I so love their product, and this was a very nice surprise!  Even at 21, this child of mine is very delightful!

The Studio and Pencil Lines Blog Hop!

The Studio Challenges and the Pencil Lines welcomes you to our blog hop!  You should have arrived here from VAL'S blog.  Isn't her work great?  I am on a couple of design teams with her, and she is amazing!! Let me tell you the specifics of the hop so that you are certain to be eligible for the grand prize form Scrap with V.

You will need to go back to the start of the list at The Studio.  In order to be eligible for Scrap with V's generous prize, you must comment on ALL the blogs in the hop and become a follower of The Studio.

We wanted to inspire you along the way, so Ann Bowkis from Pencil Lines created a sketch for us.  As you hop, you may see this sketch as a layout, card, or in a project.

I created a card using this fun sketch:

I used My Mind's Eye Fine and Dandy paper and chipboard for this card.  I cut the background using the packaging from some Jenni Bowlin embellishments.  Remember - always look at your packaging before throwing it away!

You have until Monday to hop along!   Your next stop now is FABI.  You will love her work, too!!

For Your Inspiration - Challenge #1

I am so excited to bring you this very first challenge for For Your Inspiration (FYI)! Did you read the bios of the design team members on FYI? I am so blessed to have this opportunity to work with each one of these talented ladies!! Every first and third Thursday of the month, there will be a new photo inspiration. You can create whatever you'd like using whatever craft you'd like! So without further ado, here is the first photo inspiration along with the canvas I created.

This is a plain 6x6 canvas that I picked up at Dick Blick. I lightly misted it with Tattered Angels Moonlight Path from the bottom left corner to the top right, but I don't know if the photo will pick that up. I pulled out one of my favorite stamps from CTMH, Key to My Heart (retired), and stamped the flourishes in opposite corners with Versamark. I embossed them with silver embossing powder. I went on to silver emboss the sentiment, hearts, and key. If you see a little sparkle in the embossing, it is because I always add a touch of prisma glitter to my embossing powder.

I wanted to show you the flower more closely.  Heidi Swapp makes mistable crepe ribbon for Tattered Angels.  I cut a 12" piece in half lengthwise (it is about 2" wide).  I glimmer-misted the pieces with Moonlight Path, and then gathered them together with black embroidery floss.  I topped them off with silver filgree and mini blue roses.  It's really very quick and easy!

I grabbed another filigree and mini rose to compliment the blue bow and key.

Now what can you come up with?  Remember, it can be absolutely anything!  Does this picture make you think of a lovely piece of jewelry you'd like to create.  Or maybe a meal with fancy place settings?  How about a sewing, knitting, or paper craft project?  The possibilities are endless!!  I hope you have the opportunity to play along in the next two weeks for your chance to become the Lovely Lotus!!

I am also going to enter this canvas in the challenge over at There She Goes Clear Stamps.  They are asking for a card made form something other than cardstock, and I think this fits the challenge perfectly!

A Little Stella and Rose

I love everything about this new My Mind's Eye line.   There are four collections within Stella and Rose - Gertie, Hattie, Mabel, and Hazel.  Right down to the stamps, each line is filled with loads of yumminess!  I put together a quick card this morning using Hattie.  No challenges - this was purely for fun because I love this paper so much!

You are Delightful

(I have been busy in my craft room and this is my 4th post for the day.  Scroll down for the Scrap Tiffany reveal, some exciting For Your Inspiration news, and my blog candy winner!)

Lily Bee Designs is having their very first challenge!  If you are aren't familiar with them, be sure to stop over and look at their products.  I love the designs, chipboards, and rub-ons!  The requirements for this challenge are punches and Lily Bee product.  I used a combination of Catching Fall and Hello Sunshine for this layout.

This picture was taken almost 21 years ago!  What a cutie pie my Shane was and still is!  This little face makes me want to grab him out of the picture and hug that tiny little boy all over again.  I am so glad I didn't finish all his scrapping and that I can still pull out these pictures and put them to paper!

The chipboard elements (arrow, star, heart, circle), waxy flax, and brads are CTMH.  The punch is Martha Stewart.

Blog Candy Winner!

I just have to stop in and let you know who my Blog Candy Winner is!  First of all, I want to say thank you for spreading the word about the candy and my blog!  I have found wonderful blogs along the way - near and far - and I will visit again and again!  It's truly a joy to meet crafters from around the globe!!

Okay, without further ado, the winner as chosen by random generator is Amy H!!  Congratulations, Amy!!  I know you will put these goodies to good use scrapping that family of yours!!  Contact me at girlygirlrose43@msn.com with your address, and I will get this box out to you right away!!

Exciting News!! A New Challenge Blog!!

This is very exciting, and I am so happy to bring this news to you today!!  I am a design team member for the NEW and EXCITING challenge blog - For Your Inspiration.  Yippee!!  I can't wait to have you join us in the challenges!!

Let me tell you a little about For Your Inspiration.  Every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month, there will be a fabulous photo to inspire you to create.  Now, here's the really fun part.  You can create anything you want!  You can make a card, layout, mixed media, jewelry, a sewing project, knitting, food, and on and on!  You get the idea - the possibilities are endless.  Doesn't that sound like fun?!  You can combine challenges and enter up to three times.  A "Lovely Lotus" will be chosen for each challenge and that person will have the opportunity to be a guest designer for a future challenge.  Wouldn't you love to display this on your blog?

Here are the DT members that will greet you at For Your Inspiration: 

• Steph - Steph is the brain child and leader of For Your Inspiration
• Anne
• Corinna
• Debbie
• Valerie
• Wanda
• And Me!

We all so excited to welcome you and are looking forward to seeing where your crafts take you!

Live Life

The challenge is sports at Scrap Tiffany this week.  Now Shane has never played sports, so I don't really have any of the typical sports paper or stamps.  But I do have one of the new paper packets from CTMH - Lucky - and it has bicycles on it.

I have this cute tricycle stamp from Unity, and I think it went really nicely with card.  "Live Life" is one stamp, but I just rolled it in olive ink first and then gave the rest some outdoor denim blue.

Hop on over and see what the rest of the design team has done!