Fun, fun, fun!

New stuff from American Art Stamp--hilariously fun images by Emerson Quillin in a variety of sketches using the following materials:

• kiwi kiss, kraft & bermuda bay card stock
• K&Co. patterned paper (Carolyn Gavin Greenhouse Collection)
• scallop edge punch
• dies: Spellbinder's oval and scallop oval; SU! Top Note Bigz
• bermuda bay polka dot grosgrain
• buttons
• SU! Texturz plates #1
• watercolor and pure color pencils
  

If you like what you see, hop on over to American Art Stamp for more fun! You can see more creative bliss on the American Art Stamp blog as well.

LoVe U!

For today's (challenging for me) Sketch For You To Try! My card uses a new In Color--Bermuda Bay, and soon to be retired In Color--Kiwi Kiss with touches of Chocolate Chip and a piece of K&Co. Carolyn Gavin Greenhouse Collection patterned paper. I am in love with the Bermuda and Kiwi combination, so I definitely need to grab another package of Kiwi before it's too late!

I decided to make the side by side circles by sentiment focal point, using PTI's Mega Mixed Messages and a chipboard 'U' from SU! smooshed in Chocolate Chip craft ink. Rather than layering the chipboard on a punched circle, I used a brass template to pierce two circles. Chocolate satin ribbon tops this one off!

Let's see what the SFYTT sisters have done with this fun and challenging sketch:

Jen and Ashley
Carol
Amy
Kelly
Susan

Have a great weekend!

Let's Eat!

For TCP Tuesday featuring a fun inspiration photo brought to us by this week's hostess with the mostess, Toni! Check out Toni's blog for all the swanky deets...

I'll give you a little inside on the inspiration photo: it features my drink of choice, Margaritas! Well, since I don't own any cute marg-like TCP stamps, I went with Chef Poochie (E-5238). Even though you don't see the margarita Poochie is sipping, rest assured, he's on his second one already, but he had to set it down because the burgers need flipping, wink! Poochie is stamped in Palette Noir ink, colored with Pure Color pencils from SU! with a paper pieced apron from the K&Co. Carolyn Gavin Greenhouse collection. The rest of the patterned paper is also from either the 12x12 or 4x6 pads of the same collection.

The sentiment is stamped with the greatest alpha set, TCP's Nightie. It is such a fun, fun set and so easy to use as the letters are a bit wonky and need not be aligned any too straight--so easy, so fun! Remember, you can still purchase the Nightie alpha in a bundle along with great ribbon, buttons and the Happy Camper set for a mere $36.40! Just click here to view the entire Outdoors bundle.

Thanks for stopping by today...still having internet connectivity issues, so I'm sure this post will have been written long before I'm able to publish--ugh, ugh, ugh!

Hot Dog!

Today's card is a birthday card made for our 4 year old nephew using a Kim Hughes image from her set, Little Gal (CHF) along with sentiments from SU! (it's your birthday) and TCP (hot dog). The colors are SU!: Soft Suede, Riding Hood Red, Bermuda Bay and Crushed Curry. I also used my Spellbinder's Labels 2 and circle dies paired with hand cut sentiment layers. The final embellishments are punched stars and red mini brads.

I'm making this a short post as I'm having major internet connectivity issues today, and I don't want to push it by taking too long before my next outage!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Dad's Day SFYTT

Well, I promised to share more Dad's Day stuff with you yesterday, but it didn't happen because I ended up using Jen's sketch for the card, so I couldn't share that with you until today or that would've been cheating! I did plan to share the {DAD} tote with you on Friday but didn't get one minute to post yesterday...busy with the kiddos.

When I first looked at the SFYTT for today, I pictured a more mod looking card, but that's not the look that I ended up with. Totally ok because I really like how this one turned out! I used SU!'s new In Color, Soft Suede, and paired it with paper from the Mr. Campy collection from Cosmo Cricket. All stamps are from Verve--World's Best & Protector, great sets! In addition to the masculine yet fun look of the papers, I think the buttons and mini clip give this one a little "manly" appeal.

Speaking of "manly", let's move on to the {DAD} tote...I know, a tote for Dad(?!), what was I thinking? I was thinking that I loved THIS awesome tote that Carole Burrage created for the release of The Cat's Pajamas' Happy Camper & Nightie, and selfishly wanted to make one, so I made it "manly", or at least tried to make it "manly"! The other manly elements are the (serious) fishy paper from Karen Foster (green fish texture), jumbo eyelets and twine used to secure the handles and sentiment tag.

I can't wait to see what the SFYTT girls have, so let's pop on over and see:

Jen & June GD, Ashley Newell
Susan
Kelly
Carole
Amy

Have a great weekend crew!

World's Best Dad

As soon as I saw some of the design team samples using the Verve sets, World's Best & Protector, I just knew I had to have 'em! Today I'm showing you the first card I've made using World's Best, and I hope to have another card to share tomorrow since this card is for my FIL and the next will be for DH from the kiddos.

I really like this color combo: Soft Suede, Bermuda Bay and Old Olive with a splash of Kraft, although it was hard to capture the true Bermuda Bay--it's looking more like Tempting Turquoise in the picture. I see myself using it again and again. The stamped with PTI Guidelines Two using Ranger Old Paper distress ink, and it gives it a really nice, subtle look. The sentiment area is Spellbinder's Labels 2 with a hand trimmed flag running across and tied with a button and twine. Just for a little balance on the left, I added a row of piercing. Oh, one last detail on the olive layer is embossed vertical lines on each edge using my Scor-Pal.

Thanks for stopping by today, and I hope to see you tomorrow!

TCP Tuesday: Poochie smells cake!

Carole conjured up a fun sketch for TCP Tuesday this week and Jen is our HHWTM (aka hipster hostess with the mostess)! So, hop on over to Jen's blog for the original sketch and of course a fabulous sample to boot. One other link is to the entire clearly swanky set in which Poochie resides: Smells Like Cake (N-7543).

For my sample, I paired a couple of the new In Colors: Crushed Curry and Melon Mambo with PTI's Ripe Avocado. The ribbon is matching polka dotted Crushed Curry grosgrain topped with a button and mini felt flower, all tied with twine from PTI. Poochie is blender pen colored with reinkers.

I also put my Scor-Pal to good use, creating a "french" bulletin board look on the Melon Mambo layer and again to frame Poochie. I'd seen the bulletin board idea in the latest issue of the monthly SU! demo magazine, Stampin' Success. My lines are scored every 1" with a 1/4" circle punched from matching card stock, adhered to each intersection of the scored lines....clear as mud?! Easy peasy, girls!

Just one more thing--a quick picture of an assortment of thank you notes I finished yesterday:

Have a terrific Tuesday!

Happy Anniversary, DH!

Yes, today is our anniversary, and while you might be expecting me to gush about what a wonderful husband I have, I'm won't. Really...I'm not going to tell you what a wonderful husband, dad, brother, son and friend he is; how he can fix or build anything you need (if you've got the time); or how dedicated he is to his family. Nope, not going to do it. Ü

Instead, I'll gab a little about the card I made for Ed. First, I just loved Pine's demonstration of a reverse punch applique, so I incorporated it by using one of my SU! heart dies (my favorite of the set). Rather than attempting to machine stitch, I simply used my piercing template for spacing and hand pierced. For added texture, I embossed the same Soft Suede layer with a SU! Texturz plate and then backed the open heart with a scrap of Crate Paper--Hopscotch. How could I not finish the card with a hand cut sentiment flag/banner and a button?! The sentiment, button and thread are all from Papertrey Ink (Damask Designs, New Leaf buttons, Rustic Cream button twine). One last note: the thin layer of green is retired Wild Wasabi card stock from SU! with a bit of edge sponging to mute the color.

Thanks for stopping over today! Today is my first day of summer vacation, so I'm sort of spinning my wheels trying to prioritize the humongo list of things I'd like to accomplish today! Wish me luck Ü

Take a Deep Breath

Fun new stuff today: a new SFYTT, a fun new yoga pose from American Art Stamp by Robin Pickens, called Triangle Pose, and new SU! In Colors--Rich Razzleberry, Crushed Curry & Soft Suede. My yoga queen is colored with a blender pen and reinkers with a curry glow all around her. A couple of other stamps used include the sentiment from MFT's Serenity Now set and the flourish from Autumn Leaves.

Let's see what the other SFYTT gals are doing with the sketch today!
Jen & Ashley
Amy
Carole
Kelly
Susan

Have a serene weekend!

Get well, Poochie!

Get well wishes using TCP's Sick Poochie, a PTI sentiment from Mega Mixed Messages AND three of the new In Colors from SU!: Rich Razzleberry, Crushed Curry and Bermuda Bay. If that don't make ya feel better, I don't know what will?!?! The new In Colors are bold, bright and just plain fun! I'm planning to use a few of them for my SFYTT card tomorrow, so be sure to check back then.

For now, have a fantastic Friday!

birdie thanks

I had some supplies on my stamping table yet from last Saturday's SFYTT and attempted to use my leftovers to create a card for yesterday's sketch challenge over at SCS, but it just wasn't working out, which mean it wasn't pleasing my eyes. I decided to give up on the sketch challenge (it's ok to do that!) and came up with this card instead.

The card uses some of my favorite things: Damask Designs (PTI); Birds & Blooms die (SU!), button-ribbon-bird cluster, and yummy colors--black, raspberry, kiwi and kraft. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did making it.

Have a {tweet} day Ü

just a {little} birthday wish...

Quick post to share a sweet {little} birthday card I put together using fun new (to me) paper from K&Co.'s Carolyn Gavin Greenhouse collection (4x6) and Papertrey Ink's Mixed Messages set. The card measures 4x3.5 inches with a cropped front flap and a scallop edge on the back flap. A length of chocolate satin ribbon by Offray holds the stamped tag in place.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Picture this!

Well, howdy thare folks! Grab your penguins and git ready, cause it's another rousing TCP Tuesday challenge, and this time, ya gotta use some sorta, er penguin. Ok, enough of the Yosemite Sam talk...I'm not that good at it. Ü

Our HHWTM (aka: hipster hostess with the mostess) is Susan Liles and Susie says: stamp with penguins for TCP Tuesday 62, so that's what I did. I almost forgot that I'd picked up this clearly swanky set, It's A Western Thing, which has the 3 Amigos in their best get-up gear.

After coloring my cowboys with a blender pen, I masked them off and stamped the subtle western town behind them and then sponged the edges for a dirtied-up look. After looking at my finished oval, it reminded me of those big old antique framed photos from long ago, so I heat embossed 3 layers of Glassy Glaze enamel, placed it in the freezer for a few minutes and then proceeded to "crack" it to achieve that "cracked glass" look.

The rest of the stamping and sketch is pretty straightforward as you can see, so I'll let you skee-daddle to your own penguin creation! Be sure to leave a link over at Susan's blog and play along for your chance at Swanky Stamper of the Month, and of course a chance at a little ching-chang!

Inspiration Challenge: hello, baby!

I decided to check out the Saturday Inspiration Challenge over at SCS yesterday and fell in love with the curtains from the inspiration photo below. I knew my CHF broad stripe backgrounder stamped with Kiwi Kiss ink would work perfectly to mimic the diagonal stripe of the curtains and then pulled in the other colors, Tangerine Tango and Chocolate Chip, on my die cut letters and ribbon/flower cluster. The cluster is topped off with a {hello} tag, again using my PTI set, Mega Mixed Messages (you'll notice that I also used the same stamp on my SFYTT card from the previous post). It's just a handy set to have within arm's reach!

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by today. I hope to get to a few more of the SCS daily challenges once I'm on summer vacation--next week!

hello {SFYTT}

I finally did it--I tore a page from an old, old, old book that I'd gotten from my Grandma Ione's stash, and I used it for my die cut bird...aaack, what have I done?! Seriously, I don't really think anyone will ever pick up that book and read it, but I do have a smidge of guilt inside of me, just the same. I suppose you're just dying to know what the book was, huh? It's Lorna Doone, and it's so old that I can't even find a publishing date?! Oh man, what have I done?

I'll start a new paragraph here and start yacking about my SFYTT card so as to distract myself from my guilt. Here goes: I have been really smitten with the clusters of flowers/ribbon/buttons/birds/chipboard flourishes and frames that I've spied on a few different blogs as of late, so I thought I'd try my hand at a cluster of some sort using things in my stash--nuttin' new here, folks (especially that paper the bird is cut from, eek!). The flower, leaves and bird are cut from my SU! Birds and Blooms dies, with a hand cut "hello" tag, button tied with linen thread and a pink rhinestone for my bird's eye (view). Ü

I also added some of the same rhinestones to the pattern of my background layer stamped with PTI's Guidelines Two. The rest of the details include another larger vintage button (PTI) and another die cut layer on which my cluster landed (Spellbinder's Labels 2).

I sure hope Grandma Ione is enjoying this card today, with her bird's eye view from heaven--thanks, Grandma!

Let's see what the rest of the SFYTT diva's have done with Jen's fab sketch, and hey, don't forget it's a new month, so that means a new guest designer. Head over to Jen's blog for the reveal--she's another fab-U-lous stamper gal! Miss Carole is taking the week off, but I'm sure she'll be back and on fire next week!

Jen
Susan
Kelly
Amy

Supplies
Paper: Kiwi Kiss, Kraft, Black, Naturals Ivory (SU!); Raspberry Fizz (PTI)
Ink: Palette Noir, Kiwi Kiss, Sahara Sand, Ranger Distress Old Paper
Stamps: Mega Mixed Messages, Guidelines Two (PTI)
Tools/accessories: linen thread, pink rhinestones, Birds & Blooms dies, Spellbinders Labels 2, Sizzix Big Shot, PTI buttons, sponge

Just another 2-pocket tote...

Here's one personalized for baby {N} in pink and brown. See my previous post for all the details on these adorable little totes.

Supplies
Stamps: Fresh Alphabet, Damask Designs (PTI)
Paper: Pink Pirouette textured, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, Au Chocolate dsp (retired)
Ink: Pink Pirouette, Chocolate Chip
Tools/accessories: chocolate satin ribbon, CB scallop circle, circle punch, scallop edge border punch, Scor-Pal, corner rounder

Inspired 2-pocket tote

While browsing SCS the other day, I came across the most adorable tote made by Paynete. Click here to view it. Upon further investigation, I found that she'd made it using Stampin' Up!'s bigz xl die--Box #2. Ho-hum, I don't own that die, so my initial thought was to open up another tab on my internet brower, head over to the SU! demo website and order that die with next day shipping, lol! Of course, I counted to 10 and realized that wasn't financially feasible for me right now, so I went to bed. I woke up thinking about that darn tote (obsessing, actually), got home from work yesterday afternoon, pulled out my Score-Pal and came up with this:

I am just tickled with the result, and as a SU! demo, of course I urge you to buy the aforementioned die, but if you don't have the moo-lah and are able to follow directions and a picture, here's my attempt at explaining how I made the tote:

• cut card stock 5" x 11"
• score at 1", 5", 6", 10"
• turn paper and score at 1" & 3 1/2"
• repeat with another piece of 5" x 11" card stock
• see template below for further directions...

Once you have cut and scored your card stock, fold your tote and adhere where needed. Repeat with your second piece of 5x11 card stock and adhere the two totes together, back to back. Use a large oval punch to punch the handle. Finally, decorate as you desire. Have fun with this fun little tote!

Supplies used
Paper: K&Co.--Fresh Paint glitter paper pack and patterned paper from the 12x12 Carolyn Gavin Greenhouse collection

Tools & accessories: scallop edge and large oval punch (SU!); raspberry satin ribbon (PTI); natural hemp (SU!); orange button (CTMH); Score-Pal

Hey Honey, it's TCP Tuesday!

I just can't get enough of this sweet bear from TCP's new set, Happy Camper! I decided to dress him up for this week's TCP Tuesday color challenge, and I think he's pretty much in love with his yellow dotted outfit which sorta looks like PJs, dont you think? This whole card sort of reminds me of myself, walking around my yard in my PJ's inspecting my flowers on the weekend, or summer vacation. I probably even holler, "Hey Honey, could you bring me (this or that)...", to DH once in awhile, lol!

You're probably wondering what sort of flowers I've got here, huh? Well, I finally used this particular flower die from my SU! Birds and Blooms set with some great glitter paper from K&Co., great stuff. The buttons and stems are from the new embellishments available from The Cat's Pajamas, more great stuff! Click here to view the entire Happy Camper set along with the ribbon and button collections, and the new alphabet set, Nightie. Make sure you're sitting down though, because you can get the whole pack (2 stamp sets, ribbon, buttons) for a mere pittance!

If you like this color combo, or just want to be challenged, come play along! Link your creation to Jen's blog, our hipster hostess with the mostess this week!