Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Valentine Elegance

Today is the last day of the team previews (err...POST-views?!) for the My Time Made Easy TM LLC February release!  I decided to use the Love Poem Paper from "A Loving Heart" collection on my Under Cover Pretty Packaging template.  I kept this simple and easy to reproduce because I thought they would make the sweetest little Valentine gifts for my co-workers!  I made my base with heavy duty black cardstock and kept it clean and simple to really make the paper do all the talking (with the embellishments of course).
I simply added some gorgeous May Arts crocheted ribbon, a 3-D flower & brad, and a pretty little tag with just the right sentiment and I was done! 
Oh wait...I was done after I packed it with caramel Hershey Kisses!  YUM ♥  I made the pretty bloom by printing my digi paper on regular bond paper and using a sweet little flower cut file that you may just see again in the near future ;]  I LOVE that I could program my Cricut to cut 10 flowers from my printed paper at just the right size, push one button and done!  Versus cutting 10 squares from my page and using a die cut to cut through a select number of sheets a couple of times.  I followed a tutorial Lauren created a while back to make the flower.  You can view it HERE.
Similarly, I used a pretty label from my Cricut Storybook cartridge that resembles the Top Note die.  The ultra cool thing about having a cut file or cartridge is that you can size the shape to your needs instead of making your images fit the shape!  In this case, I use a small sentiment and heart from the MTME You've Got Mail stamp set and sized my label down to fit it on.  I also made an accent layer with black cs...just cut it a smidge larger.  PERFECT for my project!  I could go on all day about the benefits of a cut file over a die cut.  Don't get me wrong I still love and use dies that I own, but the benefits of cut files seriously outweigh the benefits of dies.  AND they're WAY cheaper!  Again, check out Lauren's awesome comparison on her blog to really grasp what I'm talking about.
Okay, that brings me to a special announcement!!  Lauren is offering a surprise on this last official day of team peeks :]

SUPRISE GIVEAWAY!

Today is the last day of peeks from the February My Time Made Easy ™ LLC Release!  We are offering a chance to receive a $100 Gift Certificate to the My Time Made Easy ™ LLC store.

All you have to do in order to qualify is the following:
  • Visit each design team members blog to view their project.
  • Leave each member a comment about what you liked best about one of their release projects from the week.
The winner will be drawn via www.random.org.

The winning name will be cross checked for comments on all design team members' posts. If the winning person did not complete the round of commenting, another number will be drawn and cross checked.

Winner will be announced Friday February 12th on Lauren's blog!

Okay, so be sure to swing by the team's blogs to leave a little love about your favorite project of theirs for the release week and don't forget Lauren!  Your comment on her blog is basically your entry stating you commented on the team's blogs and that you want to be eligible for her generous giveaway!
* and of course *

Thanks for stopping by and GOOD LUCK!!!

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Sure Cuts A Lot Deal!!!

Okay, for those of you who follow my blog, you have probably read about Canda at www.candacraft.com who offers the Sure Cuts A Lot (SCAL) software that works with Cricut machines to cut out cut files from your computer.  Such as the cut files we sell at My Time Made Easy TM LLC.  These cut files are a HUGE cost savings to you when you take into account the number of punches and die cuts you have bought over time.  Check out Lauren's very thorough explanation HERE for an awesome cost comparison.  Really explains the benefit of using your Cricut with SCAL.

Anywho, just wanted to let you all know that if you have been on the fence and were hesitating because you wanted a deal on the software, now is the time to take the plunge!  Canda already offers SCAL at the lowest prices I've found out there, and now she's offering a 10% discount on your entire order (including sale items) if you use coupon code FEB14.  Okay, so I guess you don't HAVE to buy the SCAL software with the coupon, BUT, if you haven't yet, now is the perfect time :)  The coupon expires at midnight on February 14th.

HUGE thanks to Canda for being so generous ♥

Just Us Girls Challenge #19

Hi all!  It's about that time for another Just Us Girls challenge!  #19 to be exact, which is a cool sketch provided by your sweet hostess, Tracey!  Check it out:

...and my sample.  Oh wait....that would be M.I.A. this week.  Yep, no sample...at all.  I just didn't manage to finish one before heading out to Tia's gymnastics meet in Orlando.  Successfully escaping the blizzard that is taking over the National Capitol Region right now :[  I will do my best to finish one next week when we get home though!  In the meantime, please swing by our amazing design teams' blogs (<--- left sidebar) and our super talented February designer, Chupa!  They are SURE to inspire you :]

Enjoy your weekend ♥ I'll be back on Tuesday with another MTME project and on Wednesday with a fab Color Throwdown project!  Thanks for stopping by!!

Friday, February 5, 2010

My Time Made Easy - Welcome Home

Happy Friday!  Today is my day to share a My Time Made Easy project with you all :)  I couldn't stop thinking about the Welcome Home template, so I decided to focus on it for my day.  I'm soooo feeling girly and longing for spring...I guess that explains all of my girly, and spring-like projects I've been creating recently.  This one is no exception!  I feel like it's both girly and spring-like.  I LOVE how it turned out!  So fresh and fun ♥
I used Couture Cardstock Blushing pink cs for my house and MTME white flourish paper from "A Loving Heart" collection for my roof and lattice/fence.  I think it looks cool in both areas, but especially as the lattice surrounding the house...you can still see some of the flowers and vines from the paper so I decided not to add any more.  Cool, huh? 
Can I interject on my own jibber jabber for a minute?  I just have to say I cannot believe I waited this long to really get into using my Cricut.  The time it is saving me alone has paid for the machine in full.  So, THANK YOU, CANDA!!!  We ♥ you for being so generous and bringing us into the new age of technology!  Okay...back to my jibber jabber...  Look at the detail I avoided having to cut by hand..specifically the windows and the slot on the template.  No measuring, no over or under cutting (or measuring just a little off).  It's perfect every time now...and I couldn't be more pleased at the time it has saved me.
I decided to make curtains for my windows using strips of ribbon and adhering the ribbon to the edge of the window frame.  Also, like I mentioned before, I added a lattice fence to my house using a Martha Stewart punch.  I added ribbon around th ebase as a nice finishing touch and maybe to give the allusiuon of grass ;]  Punched some flowers and added them along the top of the ribbon.  Oh, and check out the door.  Can you see the embossed squares?  My front door at home is designed in a similar way, so when I saw all of the cut squares from the windows, I thought, "Why not dry emboss them with a squishy mat and achieve the same look?!"  Sooooo...that's just what I did!  It worked like a charm...  The only other detail worth mentioning is the cutie patootie birdie!  I colored her with Copics, trimmed to size and adhered with a dimensional.
Inside I added all of the makings for a jewelry maker starter kit.  Look at all of the supplies I fit in there!  I didn't add the jewelry making tools because they were an awkward fit after everything else was inserted, but that just gives me an excuse to make another package for them!  I just might do that next week...we'll see how I"m feeling.  I may move onto something else by then ;]

If you didn't get here by way of Lauren's blog, please go back to visit her and any other team members who happen to have projects today also.  They've been producing some AMAZING projects...you don't want to miss what they have to offer!!

Thanks for stopping by today!  I won't have a project for JUGS tomorrow because this weekend wil be absorbed with Tia's gymnastics meet...but I expect to return on Tuesday with another MTME project and Wednesday for the CTD!

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Color Throwdown Challenge #78

Happy Wednesday :]  I'm actually typing this late Tuesday night...crossing my fingers and toes and doing a little snow dance in the hope that we have a snow day tomorrow!  They're expecting 3-6 inches, which to us Michiganders is nothing, but around here it seems to be a big deal.  I live in the National Capitol Region.  I'll just say, aggressive driving really has no place on the road after a small blizzard...so a lot of these drivers here won't know what to do with themselves :]  I think it's best that we all just stay home ;]  LOL

Anywho...today I bring you my take on the Color Throwdown palette that our hostess, Broni chose for us:
Starving Artiststamps sponsored the Throwdown this week, and I chose this pretty chaise lounge, pillows and sentiment.  You'll have to forgive my coloring inability...I'm nowhere NEAR the caliber of my CTD sisters who seem to be able to color perfectly in their sleep...but I'm working on it ;]  I used Copics to color the wood frame of the chaise lounge and to ground my image (TAMMY...I promise it IS grounded...but the ink disappeared by the time I took photos! LMBO)  Oh, and yes, yes...my sentiment is a tad crooked...just a tad...so please overlook that little defect ;]
Oh, I almost forgot.  I used the CAS Stamping, FTL75 sketch for my layout.  As you can see, I flipped the sketh horizontally.  I used the SU! slot punch to punch two slots about a quarter of an inch apart, one on top of the other to thread my ribbon through.  Before I pulled it tight, I thread another piece of ribbon through the exposed ribbon on the panel.  I pulled the panel ribbon tight, and adhered to the cs.  Afterward, I tied the extra piece of ribbon already threaded through the front, into a bow.  I paper pieced the cushions on the chaise lounge.
Okay, that's all I have for you today!  We certainly hope you will play along this week.  If you do, please post a link to your project using Mr. Linky on the CTD blog and use keyword CTD78 in any online galleries.  Don't forget to swing by the amazingly talented DTs' blogs!!  You'll surely be inspired if you do :]
Danielle Kennedy
Deborah Southard - Our February Guest Designer

Thanks for stopping by.  Hope to see you back on Friday for another My Time Made Easy project :]  Have a great end to your week :]

Stamps:  Starving Artist
Paper:  SU! Soft Sky and DSP; Cosmo Cricket, Girl Friday and Ever After; Creative Memories DP (from my stash); PTI, Blush, Select White, and Kraft
Ink:  Staz On, Brown; Copics;
Accessories:  Reflections, Pink Pearl Rhinestones; Michaels, Pink Satin Ribbon; SU! Slot Punch; Cuttlebug EF

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

My Time Made Easy February Release...Day 2!

[Note: I'll update links and supplies later today!]

As promised, I'm back with another project for the My Time Made Easy February release!  Today I'm using the Pretty Packaging, You've Got Mail© template.  Lauren designed this template to resemble a USPS box!  Isn't it the cutest?! 
I used Couture Cardstock Silent Night cs as my back and base segments, and their Blushing cs for the front. Quick plug...I just started using Couture Cardstock and I must say I LOVE LOVE LOVE their paper so far!  They have a fabulous variety, and I've taken a special liking to the textured cs...which I'm using here :]  I printed the Flourish design with the navy bg from the MTME, A Loving Heart© collection, cut it (along with the rest of the template) using my Cricut Expression.  THANK YOU CANDA!!!!  She is totally my savior when it comes to cutting out these templates.  The SCAL software she sells married up with my Cricut, makes it soooooo simple to cut the templates.  I don't recall minding very much when I cut them by hand, but now that I've seen the light and the machine is doing it for me, I could NEVER go back!! 
For the front, I used stamps from the Pretty Impressions, You've Got Mail stamp set.  Trimmed, clear embossed the front of both pieces, and layered with 3M dimensionals after I added a navy snap to the top layer.  I used some SU! Hodgepodge Hardware to frame my "slot" on top, and added some sheer ribbon and a crocheted flower to the bottom to keep it prettiful ♥
Now for the part I've been waiting for...check out how much room is inside this thing!!  I poured an entire bag of Hershey Bliss raspberry filled hearts inside and there's room to spare!  Think of everything you could tuck in here...a onesie, socks, a cupcake, a figurine, a nail kit...the list seems endless!!
Here's a shot of the little matching tag I made to go with it.  I have to apologize because I totaly forgot to take a photo of the back, but I stamped "TO:" "FROM" and "With Love" on the reverse side.  All stamps are from the You've Got Mail set.  On the front, I used my pink definition paper from the MTME, Fluttering-by set, a snippet of the flourish paper, and more ribbon.  Can a girl EVER have too much ribbon?!  I think not...
That's all I have for you today, but be sure to swing by on the 5th for another project, and between now and then visit the DT (links in my left sidebar <---)!  Check out Lauren's blog first to see who is releasing on what day after today (we're all sharing a project today).  More importantly, check out the MTME store and everything Lauren has to offer this month!  She's one talented lady, that Lauren ♥

Thanks for stopping by!  I'll also have a card for you tomorrow for the Color Throwdown challenge!  You don't want to miss it ;]

Monday, February 1, 2010

My Time Made Easy February Release!!!

I’m so excited that the My Time Made Easy ™ LLC February release is already here!!! This month Lauren is offering such a cute array of coordinating stamps, templates, cut files and of course, my digital paper :] LOL We chose 12 different colors to use this month which made my job a lot easier when it came to designing the paper!!


Before I get into the paper we’re releasing, I’ll share my template and coordinating card. For today’s release, I used the Happy Mail© template along with the cutie patootie snail from the Pretty Impressions, You’ve Got Mail© stamp set, and the Snail Mail paper from the Pretty Impressions Printables, Cute Critters© digi pack.


This template is sooo roomy…I can think of a dozen uses for it off the top of my head! This box is holding my mini post card, and about a half bag of Reese’s hearts, with plenty of room to spare!

For the flag on my box, I used a corner heart punch to make a window of hearts and adhered white cs between the two flags.

I stamped the envelope from the You’ve Got Mail stamp set and cut it out. I adhered some small hearts that I punched with a mini punch I’ve had for years and attached them to the front of my mailbox using glue dots. I stamped the snail twice, once in Kiwi Kiss and again in Memento Tuxedo black ink. I trimmed the shell, embossed it with clear embossing powder, and adhered it to the green snail.

For my post card, I cut out the decorative rectangle with one of the shapes from my Storybook cartridge on the Cricut. The curved lines and the straight lines were created with stamps from You’ve Got Mail. I cut out the “I” and the “U” on my Cricut and used the outlines as a stencil. I colored them in with a SU! marker and punched a heart from another punch I’ve had for years. I adhered the heart with a dimensional after drawing a white highlight with a gel pen.

Back to a little more info about the digi paper… I created two six-packs for our unique, Pretty Impressions Printables collection. Cute Critters contains cutesy designs, and A Loving Heart contains more sophisticated, elegant designs. I took a sampling of these designs and created our Color Me Pretty collection of customizable black and white digi paper! I also created two packs of coordinating gingham and polka dot digi paper using the twelve colors we selected for this month’s release. Check them out at the My Time Made Easy store. Here’s the price break down and a snapshot of each set:

Cute Critters $4.50

A Loving Heart $4.50

Love Notes $4.50

Ga Ga for Gingham $6

Darling Dots $6

Hope you enjoy my snail mail project and the new digi paper! I would love to hear what you think :]

If you didn’t come here by way of Lauren’s blog, be sure to swing by and check out the deets of the release! Don’t forget to visit the DT also…they all have projects to share. Trust me, you don’t want to miss their works of art ;]

Tracey

Thanks for stopping in for a visit today :]  Hope to see you back here tomorrow for another release project!!  If you're one of those people waiting on pins and needles for this release...enjoy your shopping trip tonight ;]  LOL

Have a great week ♥
Paper: My Time Made Easy, Pretty Impressions Printables© and Pretty Printables© digital paper; Couture Cardstock, Candied Apple; PTI, Select White
Ink: Stampin’ Up! Kiwi Kiss and VersaMark; Memento, Tuxedo Black and London Fog; PTI, Fresh Snow and Pure Poppy
Accessories: Primas; PTI, Vintage Buttons; Michaels, Burgundy Ribbon and Red Stamens; Cricut, Storybook Cartridge; Cuttlebug, Swiss Dots Embossing Folder

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Just Us Girls Challenge #18

Well, it was still technically Saturday when I started writing this post.  Does that count as not officially being a day late?!  This week was a busy one with work and finalizing everything I'm contributing to the My Time Made Easy February release.  After all was said and done, I really let this week get ahead of me.  Come 10 pm Friday night I hadn't even started my banner.  I was just exhausted, so I gave in.  I realized there was no way I would produce a worthy banner in a crunch last night, so I took my throbbing head to bed.  Sometimes life just takes over, you know? 
Oh, I'm kind of putting the cart before the horse, huh?  Saturday's challenge over at Just Us Girls is being hosted by sweet Dana who challenged us to make a pennant banner.  I've never made one before, so this was definitely a challenge for me!  My plan as the week went on was to make a banner with Tia's name.  She told me yesterday that she didn't want one, so I switched gears and made one for my craft room instead.  "CREATE".  That's right, walk in my craft room, read my order and get to work!  LOL  Seriously though, other than eat, drink, and listen to music, what else do you do in a craft room?  CREATE! 
I used colors from the chaise lounge in my craft room so that everything is "matchy-matchy" as Lauren would say :]  I didn't stamp a thing on this banner...in fact, the only ink used was from my printer. 
When I bought my Cricut Expression, it came with two awesome cartridges.  One was the Storybook cartridge that has the font you see on my banner.  Isn't it elegant?!  I just love it ♥
Here's a close up of the letter 'A'.  The paper is one of the sheets I designed for the January release at MTME.  I think I'll use this paper forever!  I can't imagine it getting old :]  It's the pink definition paper from Fluttering-by© printed on SU! Very Vanilla cs.  The butterflies in between the pennants were cut in two sizes (1.5" and 1") using the Flutters and Flowers cut file from MTME.
Please swing by our wonderfully talented DTs' blogs to check out their FANTASTIC projects! <--- Links are in my left sidebar.  Don't forget to stop by our SPECTACULAR January Guest Designer's blog, Ms. Gabby Arriaza.  Gabby and her family are kind of in dire straits right now and could use a boost.  She was an AMAZING guest designer and I feel very lucky that she was our first.  She left some HUGE shoes to fill ;]  ♥ You're in my prayers, Gabby ♥

If you play along, please add a link to your project using Mr. Linky over at Just Us Girls, and use keyword JUGS18 in the online galleries.

Thanks for swinging by today!  See you back here on Monday for the My Time Made Easy February release!  You don't want to miss it ;]  Lauren has some fresh products and samples in store for you. 

Stamps: N/A
Paper: Bazzil, Red Carpet; SU! Very Vanilla; My Time Made Easy TM LLC, Pretty Impressions Printables ©, Fluttering-by digi paper
Ink: N/A
Accessories: Primas; PTI, Vintage Buttons; Michaels, Buttons and Ribbon; Cricut Storybook Cartridge; EK Success, Border Punch; My Time Made Easy TM LLC, Flutters and Flowers Cut Files

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Color Throwdown Challenge #77

[Update on Tia is at the very bottom of this post for those of you following our recent mini-saga :]

Okay, so I say it all the time but I have been SWAMPED...yes, all caps :]  I feel like I've been going non stop for two weeks now.  Between designing paper and projects for MTME, JUGS, and CTD, and whisking my daughter to and from gymnastics practice and competitions...and my full time career...you know...I'm just busy and tired!  BUT, I always look forward to my design team challenges even when I do them last minute ;]  LOL  Today is week #77 over at the Color Throwdown, and only my 4th week as an official CTD designer!  I'm sooooo thrilled to be a part of their team!  These ladies are super talented, caring, witty and just FUN!  Love them all :O)

This week is being hosted by Cathy and she chose what I envisioned as a very elegant color palette:

Sooooo...for some odd reason I never took the time to buy Certainly Celery ink or paper (other than a couple of sheets I received in a multi pack of paper I purchased).  For some reason I was stumped on what to swap it with today.  I know, I know...there are so many shades of green, surely one comes close?!  Well...you would THINK so based on the overwhelming amount of supplies in my craft room...but, alas, the closest color I had (which really isn't all that close) was Spring Moss from PTI.  The problem there is that I never bought their ink!  Shoot!  Anyway, while I was searching through my paper scraps I came across a 4x4" piece of what I believe to be Certainly Celery cs.  Which brings me to my point.  I kept the Celery at a minimum due to my limited supplies.  I do LOVE the contrast of the Eggplant with the White though so it may have turned out for the best.

I stamped off the PTI Life stamp in Baja Blue then onto the cs.  Next I stamped the offset image with Eggplant.  I added a rhinestone to the sentiment and three to my butterfly for just a touch of bling :]  A little white satin ribbon added a nice finishing touch to my CAS card.

Oh, and check out the inside.  This was actually an experiment.  I layered my card visually before adhering anything and thought it might look neat to freehand two uneven borders with my marker.  Just to add something to the white layer since I didn't emboss or anything.  When I re-layered visually I HATED how it looked on the front of the card!  I set it aside and it wasn't until the front was finished and I was looking for a white scrap to use on the interior for the sentiment that I came across my doodled border scrap.  I thought...hmm...that might look cool on the INSIDE!  And it did IMHO :O) 

I used Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge (MTSC58) for my layout.  I haven't played along with her as regularly as I would like, so I'm trying to sneak back over there every chance I get :]

If you made it this far, please be sure to swing by the rest of our amazing DTs' blogs!  They always produce the most gorgeous projects!! 


Deb Horst our January Guest Designer

Also, if you play along, remember you don't have to use these exact colors, just use something close.  Link your project using Mr. Linky over at the Color Throwdown and use keyword CTD77 if you post in any online galleries. 

***TIA UPDATE***

I made this card for my daughter. I know I'm very blessed that all she got two weeks ago when she fell on beam was a minor concussion, but the fact that she did not know who I was didn't sit well with me. Not to mention her asking me in her delirium whether she was going to die or not...I could have happily went the rest of my life without ever hearing those words come out of my daughter's mouth! Anyway...back to my point. I'm so grateful for my daughter and I think her concussion and recovery have truly given me a reality check. I've always marveled at this beautiful blessing God trusted me to raise and nurture. She has an infectious, charming spirit that just draws people in like a moth to a flame. Life and loving are so much more important than any sport or hobby or disagreements or chores. 20 years from now I want her to be known for being a kind, generous soul...not for being an amazing gymnast (though she might frown at that comment now :)


As for my update, Tia sort of passed her third concussion test yesterday after school. The trainer was a little hesitant to come right out and pass her with full approval to compete...but he did say she could do some light tumbling. Ha ha ha ha ha...my daughter's version of light tumbling is a cartwheel. He expects her to be good to go on Thursday though which is important timing. Her high school district meet where she has the opportunity to qualify for the regional competition is that night. So, please say a little prayer that she will be ready to go and will pass with flying colors! Oh, and last night she wasn't going to compete, but I stayed at the meet with her to volunteer to sell admission tickets. Good thing too. She came up to me when her team rotated to vault and said, "Umm...yeah, I'm vaulting." What?! OMG...I was nervous even though she warmed up before the meet started. Apparently one of the other girls didn't want to vault so Tia agreed to. I sucked it up and cheered her on. Mind you, she was competing the hardest vault in that particular competition also. No stress, mom! She pulled off her first vault beautifully, but fell on her landing. Her second vault (they take the best of the two...not an average) was almost flawless! Seriously, I don't know that I've seen her compete a better vault and her vault is typically amazing! This vault had a 9.8 start value and she scored a 9.5!! That is incredible in high school gymnastics! Oh, and Tia is a Level 9 gymnast...who just so happened to be competing against a Level 10 gymnast last night who was on a different high school team. She won vault in the end and the Level 10 gymnast came in second. As a proud mom, I thought that was pretty cool :O)

Well, that's all I have for now.  Thanks so much for stopping by!  Hope you are having a fantastic week...it's hump day so you're half way there!

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Just Us Girls Challenge #17

Well, it's finally Saturday...thank goodness!  This was a LOOOONG, BUSY week for me.  I don't know about all you, but I was pumpin'!  That's not necessarily a bad thing though.  I thrive in that type of situation ;]

So, since it's Saturday, we're due for another Just Us Girls challenge!  Today Maria is hosting our 3-D/Template challenge.  We are soooo fortunate today that Lauren Meader, Owner of My Time Made Easy TM LLC, agreed to host us!  She also asked us to sneak peek one of her templates and one of her stamp sets ;]  How exciting to get a glimpse of what's in store February 1st!  She has some FAB stuff someing out, your don't want to miss it!  If you didn't arrive at my blog by way of Just Us Girls, be sure to hop over there and read about Lauren's generous prize she's offering this week!


Okay, onto my project. I'm posting JUST the photos now, but will update this post tomorrow morning!! I'm just too tired to think coherently right now and I have to get up in five hours :[ :[  I used the little mouse from one of the new stamp sets being released.  I wanted a spring feel and I wanted white flowers.  yellow is such a cheery, bright, fun loving color, I just had to use it!








Okay, I'm REALLY going to sleep now.  Swing by the rest of the teams' blogs to see they're AMAZING projects (links are in my left sidebar <-------)!   Oh and don't forget our awesome Guest Designer, Gabby Arriaza!   They are one talented group of ladies, let me tell you!  I'm so lucky to be working with them ♥

Have a great night :]