Sunday, July 31, 2011

Dare To Get Dirty Challenges Day 2

I had other stuff to do today, so I combined 4 out of 5 challenges for today's DTGD challenges.  I want so bad to tell you what I did, but you have to be a Fan Club Member  :) - go to SCS and see about them yourself!   I used Mark's Finest Papers Tropical Vacation for this card -- perfect set for Hawaii!  [This is becoming my go to set.  I really love the images in this set!]
Thanks for stopping by~



Outlawz CAS Challenge Guest Designer!

WOW!  This month just flew by - I can' believe this is my last week as GD over at The Outlaws.  I want to thank Diana for the opportunity!  I had  blast~
This week the Outlawz CAS Challenge is a Christmas or Winter card .  I used the fun Gina K Designs stamp set Winter Mittens that coordinate with the Spellbinders Nestabilites "Mittens".  My sentiment is Hero Arts Holiday Sayings.   Come on over to The Outlawz CAS Challenge and join in the fun!!  It's been a great month for me -- I hope for you also!  Thanks for stopping by~


Saturday, July 30, 2011

DTGD Challenges - 5 days of fun, Day 1

On the Dirty Challenges, you do need to be a SCS Member to play.  You can find information on that here.  Meanwhile, I will be showing you my cards over the next few days since there are about 5 challenges a day.  Oh so fun!!
 This is really my first official watercolor.  I have made attempts in the past -- they ended up in the trash.  I really liked the way this one turned out!  I was able to get some pretty vivid color.  My images are from Gina K Designs Garden Fresh.  I love the font Gina used in this set - it looks so hand written and personal.  This also qualifies for my favorite challenge Less is More - a fruity CAS card.
 I was so inspired by my blog friend Heather Telford over at Bits & Pieces- she does amazing cards with sponging of ink.  I loved the way the ink blended on my CAS Christmas card.  When I make more of these (which I will), I will change the type of ribbon to make it easier to mail.  The tree is a Mark's Finest Papers image from A Walk in the Woods and my MC is from Hero Arts Holiday Sayings.
This is a tissue box cover!  Again, CAS since it is for my son's bathroom.  I entered this for the ABC challenge, but CASED this from the Featured Stamper for  this week, Anna.  I can't remember the last time I made an ABC project.  I really enjoy making them!
That's it for my Saturday -- I just had fun all day!! :)
Thanks for stopping by - I'll be back tomorrow with more completed cards for more challenges!






Friday, July 29, 2011

Wee Memories #62

In one of my subscribed blogs, I saw this CAS challenge from Wee Memories.  Oh I so need this.  I get into creating "future" cards, and forgot to play - just for fun!  A good CAS card gives me that "fun".  My butterfly is from Cheery Lynn Designs and the rick rack die is from PTI.  How simple is this card - I love it! :)  As stated, I am working on a bunch of cards for my team requirements, and I am also gearing up for the Dare to get Dirty challenges over at SCS that start tomorrow - 5 challenges a day for 6 days!!  Oh goodie!
Thanks for stopping by~


Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Stampin B's

This week on the Stampin B's Faith has challenged us to use ribbon on your card.  Well, that is easy enough~  I tried to fun technique of shadow stamping with water color crayons and an acrylic block.  What a fun technique! [Color your block with watercolor crayons, spritz with water and stamp on your card]  I love the grunge effect this has and will be using this technique again!  I used images from Mark's Finest Papers Lilacs in the Summer and the flowers are from Tropical Vacation.  We hope you pop on over and play!  Thanks for stopping in~



Monday, July 25, 2011

Stamp TV - Mix It Up Monday - Monochromatic




Today Susan Dean is challenging us to make a monochromatic card.  It is fun to mix different shades of the same color.  I used Gina K Designs, newly released set, The Vine.  What to play?  Pop on over to Stamp TV and join in~- you never know, you might be the random winner of your choice of stamp set up to $24.95!






 I wanted to play in last Friday's CASE the DT over at Stamp TV.  This week was Carolina - I really thought her card was cute:

and eventually, someone will ask me for a baby card.  Now I am prepared.  I used Gina K Designs Basket Blessings.  Once again, you can play in this challenge if you want, and once again, there is a random winner!  Can't win if you don't play...


Thanks for stopping in~



Sunday, July 24, 2011

Goodies & Photos from CHA / Blog Candy Winner

I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaack and boy did I have a fabulous time in Chicago!!  My friend and fellow stamper Karen Knegten allowed me to stay in her beautiful house for 6 days!  From being picked up from the airport to being dropped off, we talked the entire time (except while sleeping!).  The week went so fast it is a blur! We went to CHA and had a wonderful time meeting other fellow stampers and of course buying stuff! Here are some photos:

Karen's front door with all that beautiful GREEN foliage

Her amazing view from her front of house of all that beautiful water

Not so pretty here -- I so do not like snow (I copied this from Karen's photos to show my DH)











Karen's DH was so nice to take us out for a little boat cruise around the lake - amazing houses!  Is this gorgeous or what??  {sigh} all that pretty water
and the lake view of Karen's gorgeous "beach cottage"


and  the friends from CHA:
My Dirty Dozen Leader and SCS Super Queen;  Lydia

Friends over dinner - (from left - Deb Felts, Debbie, Joy and from right - Karen, Lori, and me.

It was so fun to meet the real persons behind the avatars.  I felt I had been friends with all these ladies forever!
This isn't a friend but he sure is famous~ TIM HOLTZ.  How cool was that to walk up and he didn't have a crowd around him - [the advantage of being there the last 15minutes of the show!]
 Karen, TIM, and me

We never did get to see the entire room of CHA - they shut it down at 4:30pm (we thought it was going till 6:00pm :(. ) Fun stuff is coming -[ from what we saw anyway].  I didn't take photos of stuff except my shopping haul!













We entered CHA about 2:45pm (after shopping over at the Jewerly Show - about 21 stamp vendors in that area) and the FIRST place was running a 50% off sale on EVERYTHING (he didn't want to cart it home) -- can you believe all this fun stuff I got!!  Oh I was in heaven.  I adore great prices.  So, overall, I thoroughly enjoyed CHA and my visit with my friend Karen!!

I didn't forget about my Blog Candy.  I had DH pick a number and the lucky winner is..........
#4 Cheri!!!! 
I need your snail mail to send this to you!  Thanks to everyone for the kind comments on my first published card!  If I ever get time, hopefully this will happen again.... It really is cool to see your name and card in an official magazine! :)

Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing in my fun trip~~






Outlawz CAS Challenge Guest Designer!

The Outlawz CAS Challenge this week is yellow and orange.  I added some texture with my friend The Cuttlebug, and my sentiment is from Mark's Finest Papers Greet the Day with Gerber.  Come on over and join in.  Thanks for stopping by -


Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Stampin B's - Color Challenge


This week over at the Stampin B's, Vicky had given us a color challenge - Black, brown and Ivory.  I really like these colors together, however, I just had to add a pop of red.  Livens up the card - don't you think?  I really love the red pop of color against these colors. My sentiment is from Mark's Finest Papers Lilacs in the Summer.   Does this color combo interest you?  Well, come on over and play with the Stampin B's!
Thanks for stopping by~


Craft Space

Since I am in Chicago at CHA, I thought I might share my craft room with all of you.  I have acquired 3 sets of drawers from Mike's, and I can't believe how much they have helped to clean up my space!  When looking at the pictures, it still seems messy but really -- it is so much better!  The amount of "stuff" I have at times just amazes me -- like really?  You NEED all this stuff? --- of course I do! :)
One side of door.  The outside of the door has another shoe holder filled with punches too



















My peg board wall of ribbon - sorted by color





















 Some of my inks
 and the rest of my inks.  Crazy huh??


See the copics on the shelf?
 Here is a close up -- this is an outside drain spout cut in sections!!  It works so well to sort my copics by color.  Love this tip I picked up from someone over at Splitcoaststampers!
 This is my cutting area - paper scrap area (yes, those are kitty liter waste holders - bottom left (new ones BTW :) , and the dresser drawers are holding my Stampin Up stamps (that so need to be inked or sold...)

This is my photo box and see those boxes on the right -- ALL EXTRA CARDS I have made.  What am I suppose to do with boxes of cards!!  Akkk~
Actually, eventually I will set up a website and try to sell these.  Easier for people to look that way since I have found I do not do well at Craft Fairs.  I am not one to say "See how pretty my stuff is".

Here are the new drawers!  I love the clear front to see what is in them, along with the height; 14" - I still can have a self on top of the drawers and have extra room in between for my MFP stamps in cd holders.






















This dresser holds my GKD stamps while the top of it gives me added spread space when stamping. This is to the left of my chair.


And this is my overall space
 I do love my craft room.  This is a god thing since I spend way to much time in here :).  I am sure I will be adding more with my purchases from CHA! I will be sharing photos of my trip and meeting fellow stampers when I get home.

I hope that may be I gave you an idea or 2 while touring my craft space.  I love looking at other's spaces -- some if the ideas are so clever and out of the box~ I love that!
Thanks for stopping by~







Tuesday, July 19, 2011

SCS Color Challenge and Featured Stamper

I am currently in CHICAGO, and having a great time!  I wanted to play in the Color Challenge over at SCS [in support of Mary, the Hostess] and I combined my card with the Featured Stamper from last Sunday - Teri.

I CASED this card of Teri's.  I am really enjoying seeing circles on cards!  Less is More is challenging us to use circles too. Well,  of COURSE I had to play in that challenge too!!  I think I finally have this site down-  lots of white and CAS!  I used Gina K Designs sentiment from All Occasion Tags.
Thanks for stopping by!!

Monday, July 18, 2011

Stamp TV - Mix It Up Monday - My Sketch





It is my Mix It Up Monday Challenge this week and I have a sketch for you!   I find it so much easier to make a card if I have a sketch as my first step. Here is the sketch:


and, here is my card:
 I used the beautiful butterfly from GKD Bold and Beautiful, along with the bigger, fun sentiment from Whimsical Wishes.  Do you like my papers? I'm am so in heaven with these dots and stripes from the new Echo Park Dots & Stripes paper!  Totally my favorite combo. I sure hope you come over to Stamp TV and play in my challenge - you could be the winner of a stamp set up to $24.95.



On a side note, I wanted to share my excitement with you -- I have OFFICIALLY been PUBLISHED!  Check it out:
 Do you see that!  My NAME AND CARD in Card Maker Magazine!!!  Oh I can't tell you how thrilled I am!  My first published card!!  [The title "Congratulations" seems very appropriate :)] Want to receive a copy of this magazine?
Well, I happen to have an extra copy and in celebration of my "first publication", I will mail it to the random drawn winner!!  Just leave me a comment why you like this magazine - haven't seen Card Maker before? - well just say you want to check it out!  I'll be picking the random winner when I get back from Chicago on Sunday July 24th~  Oh how fun :)

Thanks for stopping by~





Thanks for stopping by~