Color Throwdown #148

Hi friends!  I'm popping in to share my Color Throwdown card for this week.  Bar is our hostess and she chose an unconventional palette, that actually works beautifully together!  Check it out:

I shied away at first, but then a light bulb went off and I envisioned my very simple-in-appearance card.  I made the flower using the new Rainbows and Clouds die from our very own Lil Inker, Laura Pryor.  I decided to use the small and large arches from the small rainbow to create 6 petals.  I cut the arches from the free coral paper I created for the CTD.  You can still download it HERE :]  

I basically used one glue dot per "petal" and adhered them to a 1" circle.  I hot glued the button to the center to help firm up the bloom.  I added the MTME Branching Out cut file (trimmed into two pieces) for some foliage (and to use Garden Green :), and stamped the sentiment from the Lil Inker Rainbows and Clouds Sentiments in Pacific Point.  That's all there was to it other than cutting/layering my top panel and rounding the corners.  I popped it up on dimensional tape, and my card was done.

We certainly hope you'll take on the challenge this week and help to show everyone how well these colors work together!  If you don't have these exact colors, just use the closest you have.  Be sure to post a direct link to your project over at the CTD blog and use keyword CTD148 in any online galleries!  Before you get started, swing by our CTD gals' blogs to check out their inspirational projects!!

Bar

Broni

Carole

Danielle

Laura

Tammy

Betty Wright ~ June Guest Designer

Thanks for stopping by today.  Hope you're having a fantastic week!

SURPRISE Birthday Blog Hop for Katie Cotton!!

Happy Sunday, my friends.  I'm here today to help surprise the very sweet, multi-talented, Katie Cotton as part of her birthday blog hop!  Tangii is the mastermind behind it all and I didn't hesitate for a second when I read her email inquiring about who wanted to take part.  Katie is AWESOME!  One of the nicest people in blog-land ;]  I typically refrain from shabby cards because I don't execute well...they usually just end up looking messy.  BUT, today I decided I'd give it a go...I was just feeling shabby I guess :]  I LOVE how it turned out!  I don't think it's perfect, but that's the point, right? Keep it kind of abstract and piled high with goodies?! 

Katie seems girly to me so I went with some pinks and some neutral browns.  My stamps came from four different sets:  Birthday = Sentimental Occasions; Wishes = So Sentimental; to you = Just For You; and the flourishes = Fanciful Flourishes.  I cut my sentiment panel and base from my Occasional Label cut file. 

The pink, pearl flourish is from Prima, the metal swirl is from SU Hodgepodge Hardware, lace ribbon is May Arts, satin ribbon is from Michaels, button is from my stash, multi-colored twine is from the jewelry section at Michaels, and the flowers are also primas.

I distressed my edges and use some Ranger Ink sponge daubers to add white acrylic paint.  The patterned paper is from my Wistful Wonder pack and my Wistful Musical Magic pack.  I stamped flourishes on my Soft Suede cs in the same color ink.  My layout was inspired by Mojo Monday's MOJO196 sketch.

So...that's all there was to it :]  Here's wishing you a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MS. KATIE!!!  Big birthday cyber hugs to you, girly!  Hope it's awesome.

Now, for the rest of you, we would love for you to hop along to each designer's blog to leave some love ending with the birthday girl, then make a birthday card for Katie and add it to the hop!  Check out the master list:
Thanks for popping in!  Have a happy Sunday.

Just Us Girls {3-D/Template} Challenge #90

Hi friends!  I'm here to share my JUGS project just a wee late this time.  I've been MIA this month with family in town, a college visit, and my daughter's graduation festivities...but I'm trying to get back in the saddle ;] Maria is our hostess this weekend and she challenged us to create a 3-D project or template with a patriotic theme.  I immediately leaned toward the MTME Star of the Show template for my project (as did Lisa, I noticed this morning!  Great minds, I tell ya!).  

I used some of my basic patterned paper from the Dotted Stripes Collection 2 and Collection 3 for my project.  My printer ink was waning, but I loved the rustic look it gave to my template so I went with it!  I'm so bad when it comes to enhancing a rustic, or vintage look because I refrain from distressing or sponging.  I probably should have done one of the two with my project, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it :]  So, it is what it is.

I adhered some white lace May Arts ribbon to the lid alone, and used some navy satin ribbon to tie my box closed.  My Killer Curves cut file came in handy once again for my sentiment.  I used the "Friends are like stars...you don't always have to see them to know they are there" sentiment from the MTME Keep Strong set for my focal point.  This will make for a fun way to package up some goodies for a friend who helped me out tremendously with Tia's graduation party!  I think I'll add some sugar free chocolate covered blueberries as my gift...just need to swing to Trader Joes and pick some up :]

If you're wondering how I was able to sponge the interior circle on my sentiment, it was really quite easy.  Just cut two center pieces of the Killer Curves cut file, but center a circle sized to your liking to one of them before cutting.  It'll look like this on your cutting mat:

Then, just layer the frame on the panel you want to sponge, hold it in place, and sponge away!  Easy stuff.  You can also store the frame for future sponging like I do to save paper.

Alright friends, that's all I have to share today, but swing by in the morning for another special projects :]  Be sure to check out the goodies that our JUGS gals came up with as well!  They made some CA-UTE projects today!

Andrea

Dana

Elise

Kathryn

Lisa

Maria

Pam

♥ Rosemary ~ June Featured Designer ♥

Thanks for swinging by today!  Hope your weekend is off to an awesome start!!

Color Throwdown #147

Hi friends!  I've been MIA this past week getting ready for my daughter's high school graduation and party...and visitors, and my boss's retirement ceremony!  Lots of stuff going on and I just needed to focus on my kiddo :]  But, I'm back to host this week's CTD challenge!!  Broni shared a cool color inspiration site with us weeks ago that extracts colors from vibrant photos.  I loved several of the palettes, but settled on this one for today's challenge:

For my card, I obviously honed in on the black and pink, but I promise I used Sage Shadow and Cherry Cobbler!  Both colors are in the patterned paper...hard to see, but they're there - I swear!  I recolored my Serenity MTME paper for my card, and also used a sheet from my Fun and Fortune pack.  

I used my Killer Curves cut file and the Gratitude stamp from Bold Botanicals.  The black trim is from Hobby Lobby, the ribbon is Stampin Up, and the black hemp twine is from the jewelry section in Michaels...button is from my stash.

This is the first of many thank you cards I owe to friends and family for helping me TREMENDOUSLY in preparing for Tia's grad party.  I'm very blessed to have such helpful, considerate, selfless people in my life ♥  My layout was inspired by the MTME Pretty Patterns sketch (MTMEPPS14).

Okay, so now it's your turn to get busy with my palette!  We'd love to see your interpretation of these colors this week.  Just post a direct link to your card over at the CTD blog and use keyword CTD147 in any online galleries.  I'll be by to check out the goods!!  Before you get started, swing by our CTD sister's blogs for some inspiration.

Bar

Broni

Carole

Danielle

Laura

Tammy

Betty Wright ~ June Guest Designer

Thanks for stopping by today!  Hope you're having an awesome week :]

Color Throwdown #145

**Updated post 6.8.11 @ 10:30** WARNING!  This is a QUICK POST but I will update it appropriately first thing in the morning...we got home around 9:30 from our Penn State trip, so I'm whipped!  Thankfully I started my card on Monday before we headed out of town.  Laura is hosting for Carole this week, and this is the fun palette Carole selected:

I kind of cheated and went with Soft Sky vs Baja Blue.  Close enough though :]  I finally used my MTME Buzz-y Blooms digi paper, and I paired it with one of my very first cut files, the daisy from Flutters and Flowers.  The leaves came from the same cut file set.  I punched my saffron border using an EK Success border punch.  The Happy Birthday sentiment is from my Sentimental Occasions stamp set.  You may have also noticed that I changed up my hand-stitching on this card (I normally cross stitch or make a "v" pattern)...here's a close up.  I like how it turned out!

...and here is a close up to show that there is a "Happy" to go with my "Birthday" sentiment ;]  It's just hiding under my ruffled trim.

The Mojo Monday (MOJO194) sketch was the inspiration for my layout...and a couple other CTD gals!

Okay, swing by the CTD gals' blogs and check out their stunning projects.  

Bar

Broni

Carole

Danielle

Laura

LeAnne

Tammy

♥ Betty Wright ~ June Guest Designer ♥

Hope you're having a great week, friends.

Color Throwdown #144

Well, the long Memorial Day weekend is over and for many of us, it's back to the daily grind :[  I marched in the National Memorial Day parade on Monday, in my Battle Dress Uniform (heavy, hot material), in 100 degree weather.  It was SO HOT and we were out there in the blazing sun for nearly five hours...but I was still proud to be one of the active duty representatives in the National Capitol Region.  We marched a little smarter and with a little more determination every time someone would clap for us, or shout, "thank you", or "God bless".  It's heart warming to know we have so many supporters - many of whom are veterans themselves...who have witnessed first-hand the trauma of war and the ultimate sacrifice their comrades made for our country.  A country I'm forever proud to defend.  I'll never regret my decision to join the Air Force.  


Oh, and I have to share an early highlight to our day.  We ate lunch before we marched (HUGE thank you to Chipotle, Subway and Chic Fil-A for providing food), and found ourselves in the presence of two stars shortly after!  I don't know if they made their way to our tent on purpose or if they were on their way to another destination, BUT, we were lucky enough to get their attention and snap a few photos with them.  Check 'em out:

This is me with Pat Sajak!!!  He was SO nice...and he looks amazing!!

...and this is me with Gary Sinise!!!  THE one and only Lt Dan ;]  He was also SUPER nice.  They were both so accommodating.  They stayed there and took photos with a ton of service members for quite a while.  Such a great way to start the afternoon.

Okay, onto the challenge (CTD193) and my card :]  Cathy selected this fun palette for us.  Isn't it fresh?!  This was a quick card for me.  I used the Mojo Monday (MOJO193) sketch for my layout:

My image is from Flourishes' April Showers set, and my sentiment is from Flourishes' Orchids set.  I used the following Copics to color my bucket of tulips:

If you follow my blog, you KNOW I'm not a Copic colorer, so please be gentle :]  I stitched my panels of MTME Fresh Cut Expressions Collection 2 and Wistful Wonder (recolored) paper together and cut my main image and my card base panels with Spellbinders Blossom dies.  I triple layered and looped my thin, white ribbon along with some orange twine that I used to tie off my button and bow.  That's really all there was to it!  Easy stuff.

Now, I so hope you all can play along this week!  Our CTD gals have a ton of inspirational projects to share also, so be sure to check them out!

Bar

Broni

Carole

Cathy

Danielle

Laura

LeAnne

Tammy
♥ Betty Wright ~ Our June Guest Designer ♥

Thanks for stopping by today.  Hope your week is moving right along so that you can jump back into a weekend :]