Sentimental Occasions to Throwdown Color (CTD#139)

My occasion really ISN'T sentimental...well, I guess it's kind of a happy sentimental since my card is for a very special lady in my life (she reads, so I can't expand on that).  The subject of my post is really in relation to my two new stamp sets I released at MTME this month!  Woot woot!  They complement each other, so the CTD gals agreed to help me showcase both sets!!  Aren't they the best?  Oh, and LAUREN is the best for sponsoring us this week and sending the sets to the team (except Kisa and Carole...that was TOTALLY my fault!  So sorry ladies).  They played along anyway and did a bang up job!    SO...how about we take a peek at the palette I selected based on the colors in my new paper pack, Fresh Cut Expressions - Collection 2.

FIVE colors to play with, folks...should be simple because you can always minimize one or more of the colors if it doesn't really speak to you.  Oh, and Tangerine Tango should probably have been Cameo Coral...I messed up on that one when I selected my colors without looking at my paper!  LOL  If you play along, just go with the closest palette you have.  

My layout was inspired by the Mojo Monday sketch, (MOJO188). 

If you're wondering where my label from the set is, it's my scalloped edge on my strip of text paper!  I also used the Occasional Label cut file for the word, "You" in my sentiment.  All of the paper I used is from the same pack my palette was inspired by, and was printed two sheets to a page (5x7" each) to maximize paper/ink and to scale the large pattern.  The sentiment I built came from my Sentimental Occasions stamp set that is based on building your sentiment!  This is such a timeless set and has so many possibilties, I foresee myself going back to it frequently for years to come.  My card base was cut using my MTME Cornice Trimmed Circle cut file.  I cut two pieces, scored the top portion of my back panel, and adhered above the score line to my front panel.    Hot glue a couple of primas, and add some pretty craft seam binding (MS) and hemp twine, and ta-da!  All finished! 

Before you run off to start your card, be sure to swing by the CTD gals' blogs for a healthy dose of inspiration.  Also, check out the CTD post....there is a nice prize to be won this week ;]

Thanks for checking in.  Hope you are having an amazing week!

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter, my friends!  I woke up early this morning and made a quick card for my daughter, Tia, that I want to share.  She's 16 so she sleeps until at LEAST 11, which worked in my favor today!  I wasn't quite finished when she woke up, but she knows her mom and just laughed it off (plus, I had an Easter basket packed with gourmet chocolate waiting for her, so she wasn't empty handed :). 

I used the new Orchids stamp set from Flourishes for my main image.  I thought it was perfect for a delicate Easter card.  I stamped the orchids in VersaMark and embossed them in white.  I used a technique I found on Debbie Olson's blog to shade the orchids.  I used my Buttercup Copic (Y21) to shade around my image but not over the embossed lines.  My colorless blender was perfect for fading the edges of my shadow (though my result is not NEAR as lovely as Debbie's).

The sentiment is from my MTME Sentimental Occasions stamp set.  I stamped it in VersaMark and embossed in white.  I used my MTME All Tied Up - Rectangle cut file for the label and tied it off with some SU So Saffron grossgrain ribbon and some hemp twine with a button from my stash.  I created my scalloped card by cutting two pieces of white cs with Large Scallops Nestabilities and scoring a line across the top of my back piece just under the top row of scallops.  I then adhered above the score line to my front piece.  I stole this idea from Julee Tilman :]  I don't like the look of scalloped cards that are cut off at the top, so I've been using her method.  Gives it a more finished look in my opinion.

That's pretty much all there was to this one!  My daughter LOVED it!!  She told me it was her favorite card of all the ones I've ever made her (it helps that her favorite color is yellow :).  Hope you are enjoying a relaxing Easter holiday with loved ones.  Thanks for stopping by ♥

Just Us Girls {3-D/Template} Challenge #81

Hi friends!  I'm hosting the Just Us Girls challenge (JUGS81) this week!!  I chose to simply challenge you all to create a 3-D template/project that has a spring theme!  What an EASY challenge this Easter, huh? 

My mind was geared toward spring break and cutesy ;]  I've had this idea in my head for a week or so now, so I thought it was the perfect challenge to bring it to fruition.  I took Lauren's MTME SK8 Board Box template and turned it into a flip-flop!  Isn't it cute?!  I kept it pretty simple, but I love the clean, cute look.  It turned out just like I had imagined.  I have a young niece in mind who I want to send this little goody to ♥

To create my flip-flop, I simply punched two holes at each point where I wanted to thread the ribbon through.  I used my craft knife to cut an opening between each set of vertical holes. 



This is how I threaded my ribbon.  I snipped the ends and taped them to the inside of the box with Scor-Tape before assembling the rest of my template.

I took apart a carnation and used about 4 layers to assemble my bloom.  I wanted my flower to be functional, so I decided to adhere it to a little barrette that my niece can wear. 

I created my pearl center by following Becca Feeken's Becca Bit - Frugal Decorative Pearl Flower Center tutorial.  I BUTCHERED my pearl center, but I'm hoping it doesn't show that clearly in this photo!  LOL  I used flexible wire, and I clearly should have used very thin regular wire that I could form.  It's seriously not pretty in person, but I hid some of the eyesores with a glob of hot glue :] 

The barrette actually came in handy by pinching the crossed ribbon together.  Cute, ehh? 

I added a little tag at the back of my flip-flop, kind of like a label you might see on a real shoe.  The sentiment is from the MTME Sensational Sentiments set and it reads, "Sending you Sunshine!"  Totally appropriate for my spring-filled contents.

I fit everything you see here inside this template!  As you can see, it holds a LOT!  I'm sending my niece some sunblock, aloe, lotion, and sunglasses to use when she starts hitting the beach :]

That's all I have for you today.  Be sure to swing by our fab DT's blogs for a lovely variety of spring themed projects!  You will LOVE what everyone came up with this week :]  Start your journey with our amazing April featured designer, Ms. Teresa Kline! 

Happy Easter, my friends ♥

New Pinwheel Die...from that Lil Inker we all know and love!

Hi all!  Happy Wednesday to ya!  Hopefully you are having an awesome week!  Mine...ehh...could be better.  Had to take leave today, VERY last minute, so that I could take my car to the shop.  My daughter came home late on Monday night and told me something was wrong with my car.  Ugh...the kind of thing you don't want to hear from your 16 year old...BUT, I'd much rather hear that from HER, than a call from the police telling me she's hurt.  So, I count my blessings, and look forward to my car being repaired by tomorrow afternoon.  $600 later...but at least I'm not upside down in the value of my car and I could actually make some money if I sold it tomorrow (after it's fixed).  :O) 

So, since we're looking at the glass half full, let's also take a look at this week's Color Throwdown challenge (CTD138).  This week we are being sponsored by the super talented, Laura Pryor from Lil Inker!!  The challenge is being hosted by Tamara (pronounced like 'camera') Hershberger.  Check out the FANTASTIC palette she chose!  I LOVE it!!

Navy blue is always a winning color when paired with white and another contrasting color!  It's very British, fresh, crisp...in my opinion.  I chose to use a nice Fallen Leaf as my contrasting color since it was already part of the palette in the patterned paper I chose.  My floral, navy sheet is from my MTME Fun Flowers collection and the fun polka dots are from my MTME Darling Dots collection.  I scaled the digi sheets to 5x7" and printed them double sided on Georgia Pacific cs before cutting 6 pieces with the pinwheel die.  I adhered my pinwheel to my lollipop stick with a 3-D glue dot.  I threaded my two buttons with the same, fun baker's twine that I used with my sentiment panel (that Tammy sent me for Christmas :]), and adhered them with a flat, medium sized glue dot. 

My sentiment was cut with a Spellbinders Ribbons Tag Trio die, and my scalloped border was cut with a Fiskars border punch.  The navy ribbon is from May Arts.  Pretty simple, really, but I love the pop of color!  My layout was inspired by the Mojo Monday sketch (MOJO187).

This was seriously one of the easiest color challenges I've completed this year!  Be sure to play along and link up your project on the CTD blog for a chance to win one of Laura's dies and coordinating stamp sets (winner's choice between Sentiment Flags and the Pinwheels).  If you choose the Pinwheel die, be sure to take a peek at Laura's fantastic tutorial on how to put the pinwheel together, HERE.  So many cool things you can do with this one :]

Okay, friends.  That's all I have for you today, but be sure to swing by the CTD gals' blogs to check out their fab projects!  Swing by Kisa's blog also...she's been feeling crafty and sneaking in projects each week ;]

Thanks for stopping by today. 

Suprise Birthday Blog Hop!!

Hi friends!  We're having a surprise blog hop for our very sweet, Lisa today in honor of her birthday!!  I'm a WHIPPED and up typing this late, so I'm only going to share the card right now, and update the details/supplies sometime tomorrow :]  Hope you don't mind too much. 

So, the master hop list can be found on the MTME blog!  Be sure to visit everyone, ending with Lisa, and link up a birthday card of your own for our bday girl!! 

My layout was inspired by Card Patterns Sketch (CPS213)...isn't it fun?!

This is also my JUGS card showcasing the colors Lisa chose!

Okay friends.  I'm nodding off at the keyboard. I'll update this later though!  Be sure to swing by JUGS for the JUGHead cards and MTME for the master hop list!

Thanks for stopping in!

Color Throwdown Challenge #137

Hi all!  Today I'm sharing a fun project using Cathy's spring palette at the Color Throwdown (CTD137). 

My card was created using the Gardeners Apron cut file and some fresh paper by Sara and me.  The paper on the bottom half of my card uses a sheet from Sara's Shopping Shirley's Nomad Teal Leaf.  The colors were absolutely PERFECT for the challenge! The yellow, striped sheet is one of mine from the Romance collection.  I lined the pockets and the top of the apron decorative panel with some sewing trim.  I cut my pieces to the width I needed, then cut them lengthwise down the center so that I would only have one side of trim, vs double-sided.  I adhered it with Scor-Tape.  The grape image and the frame for my sentiment is from the Tending the Garden set and my sentiment is from the Well Preserved set.  My ribbon is MS teal seam binding and my flower is a prima I hot glued to my tag.  The green cs is from Bazzil.

Now, my original thought when I started making my apron thank you card, was to use it on a wine bottle.  It doesn't fit as is, so I had to make do.  I snipped in about a quarter of an inch on each side of the half circle, then simply slid it over my bottle.  You could give it a more finished look by cutting the excess cs or simply stretching the half circle slightly while it's still on your SCAL mat...too bad I didn't realize it was too small prior to cutting :[  Next time I'll get it right! 

I want to give this wine with the cute thank you tag to a very dear friend of mine who helped me out this month with some stuff.  Hopefully, I'll be able to deliver in person next month on a quick trip I plan to make...she lives several states away.  Anyway, I'm very happy with how it turned out and I'm envisioning several other designs to use as wine bottle tags, from elegant to cutesy :] 

Okay, friends...that's all I have for you today but be sure to swing by our fab DTs' blogs to check out their fabulous projects!  You're sure to be inspired ♥ 

Thanks for popping in today!  Hope you are having an awesome week!

JUG-Head Birthday Blog Hop!

Hi friends!  I'm popping in real quick to send you hopping along to wish our sweet, JUG-Head, Elise a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!  You are more than welcome to play along, make a card for Elise and link it up to the Linky widget below - I'm sure she would be delighted!  My card layout was inspired by the MTME Pretty Patterns sketch (MTMEPPS04).

I decided to make a pretty, burnt edge flower for our lovely Elise :]  I also added some heartfelt, hand stitching to Elise's card...hopefully is accentuates the paper (Cheerful Chirps) how I wanted it to!  I used one of my new cut files, Occasional Label for my top, yellow panel, adorned the bloom with a pearl brad and some prima leaves, added my sentiments (Birthday is embossed in white), and tied it off with some pretty, satin ribbon!  Girly card for my dear friend :]



♥ HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SWEET ELISE ♥

Hope it's half as amazing as you are, my friend!

Okay, now hop along to the next crafter in the lineup and don't forget to end at Elise's blog to pass along some fun birthday wishes! 

Just Us Girls {Technique} Challenge #79

Hi there.  I'm back to share my JUGS79 card two days late and many dollars short :]  This week Maria is our hostess and she chose a fun technique that I've never tried until now.  The babywipe technique!  You can view an easy to follow tutorial over at Splitcoaststampers. 

I didn't have a great selection of reinkers, so the pink in my trees is much darker than I had planned...BUT, I made it work with a few sheets of fun patterned paper, and some pretty embellishing :] 

The criss cross paper is from my MTME Serenity pack and the polka dotted paper is from my MTME Darling Dots 2 pack.  My trees are the very cute, very neglected stamps from the WPlus9 Designs Funky Foliage set.  My MTME Sensational Sentiments "Hello There" is stamped on my Sentiment Flag from Lil Inker.  I tied down my bow with a sweet, crocheted flower from Pixie Petals.  My layout was inspired by this week's Card Patterns Sketch (CPS110).

Okie doke.  That's all I have for you today.  Be sure to swing by the JUGS sisters' blogs to check out their fab projects (if you haven't already :). 

Have a fantastic week!!

Mojo Monday #185

Hi friends!  I'm popping in to share my Mojo Monday (MOJO185) card before the 8pm MST deadline :|  I didn't get a chance to use the sketch until this weekend while I was working simultaneously on my very late JUGS card (that will be my next post). 

I am so excited to share Laura Pryor's new pinwheel die and stamp set she released at Lil' Inker Designs!  Isn't this the cutest pinwheel?!  I love the curved edges and how brilliantly the assembled pinwheel showcases double sided patterned paper.

My paper is from a new set I released on 1 April at MTME:  Fresh Cut Expressions - Collection 2.  I simply printed one sheet, flipped it over and ran it through the printer again and printed on the reverse side.  I LOVE how striking the double sided sheet looks on the pinwheel!  This is a must-have die, for sure!  I'll be using this time and again.  The flag is another Lil' Inker Designs die, but I stamped one of the pinwheel sentiments on it.  Isn't the sentiment adorable?!  There are a ton more to choose from, but I loved this one so much, I had to use it :]

Okay, that's all I have for now.  I'll be back in a bit with my JUGS post :]  Thanks for popping in!!