be my valentine

Do you think you could ever, in a million years, say 'no' to this sweetheart asking you to be her Valentine? Not me! I just can't get enough of these Pure Innocence girls, and this one is a digi image from Heather Ellis' Etsy shop. I've paper pieced her with a variety of October Afternoon delights, including Farm Fresh (red gingham, green) & Report Card (yellow polka dots) 8x8 pads.

The layers of patterned paper are from Scenic Route and October Afternoon (Farm Fresh), with a few zig-zags holding them in place. Finally, the sentiment is from PTI's Tiny Treats, held in place by a mini safety pin. Oops...almost forgot about the black "buttons" on her shoes...they're pearl stickers by Recollections.

Thanks for stopping by, hope you're having a wonderful weekend!
~Amy

Pure Innocence...

Just a couple cards I've made using both stamped and digi PI images. Just can't get enough of these sweet things...

Sweetie pie is paper pieced with a little Copic color on her face. The sentiment is PTI and papers are a mix of Cosmo Cricket Early Bird and Jenni Bowlin 4x4 mini papers...

Here's my first PI digi image, and although I had a little difficulty getting her to print the size I wanted, I love how she turned out...shoes glitterified to match the patterned paper and the heart on her mailbox...sentiment again from PTI as well as the polka dots (PDI)...Copics coloring the entire image this time...no paper piecing.

Thanks for peeking in...

It's going to be...

...A Beary Good Year! Remember the sweet TCP Bear? You remember...he made his first appearance in Happy Camper...and then again in Give A Little...now you're gettin' it, right?! Well, guess what?! Our dear Alma has featured the TCP Bear in his, or her own set, and you...yes you, my friends get to help us name the TCP Bear. We've got Sprinkle the cat, Poochie the dog, and now this sweet Bear, who desperately needs a name now that he's found a home at TCP.

Simply email: contest@thecatspajamasrs.com for your chance at the grand prize...

Only one entry per email and entries will be accepted for approximately 2 weeks. From January 26th through February 8. In the event that the winning name has been submitted by more than one player, the winner of the grand prize will be selected at random from that group (the other players who suggested the name will receive the stamp set "A Beary Good Year"!)

Here's a sneak peek at TCP Bear doing his Easter thing...

I've used Leigh's TCP Tuesday94 sketch this week atop a Melissa Frances bingo card. I took a little liberty with the sketch, adding that lavender layer, or I guess you could interpret it as I didn't extend the lavender layer to the edges, but I just liked it better this way. I also replaced the jumbo scallops with a row of gathered Spring green ribbon, and wouldn't you know, so did swanky Joanne Basile! Great minds think alike, eh?!

Lucky for me, Leigh is a sweet heart of a gal and probably won't mind the liberties of which I write/speak, so head over to her blog for all the swanky TCP Tuesday details when you're done here.

Feel Better Blend

My dear cousin, Joy, asked if I had a "get well" card that she could send to a neighbor, and of course I had "nothing" in my stash (wink), so I had to come up with something new! Why is it that I never dip into my stash of cards...I do love them, but they never seem quite right for the occasion needed?! Does that ever happen to you?

I decided to pull out my PTI Tea for Two set after seeing some sweet samples on Kelly's blog last week...speaking of Kelly, I'm guessing she's probably had her baby by now, so I think I'll hop on over to her blog after I get done here and see if there's any baby news! I was also inspired by another great stamper, Michele, to finish off the inside of the card, after seeing a couple of her "insides", like this one that I copied. Thanks for your inspiration, Kelly & Michele!

Here's my "outside", using Cosmo Cricket Everafter paper; Copics; rhinestones; messy stitches (as Mish Mash calls them); inked edges using PTI's vintage touch inking system; and Basic Gray ink.

Here's my "inside"...

Hope you're all having a great weekend...thanks for stopping by!
~Amy

Tuesday Trigger and TCP {Sweet Thing} Glitter!

Just popping in to share a card inspired by the Moxie Fab blog Tuesday Trigger and another TCP Valentine featuring brand sparkling new Sweet Thing German Glass Glitter. Remember, the glitter is part of the Kitty Kat Pack, which also includes a TCP stamp set and wonderful mix of buttons. It's a great value, so head on over to TCP to check it out!

Since I'm yack-in' about that great glitter, I'll start with my TCP card. It features a sentiment from Puppy Love, along with a scrap of Cosmo Cricket paper (I can't for the life of me remember which collection) and Aqua Mist grosgrain from PTI. I used 3M Scrapbooker's Glue to adhere the red glitter to my die cut heart and while it has pretty good staying power, I think I've used Crystal Effects (SU!) with better results. The red ruffle was trimmed from the edge of a paper heart doily and adhered with sticky strip.

Next up is my entry for this week's Tuesday Trigger over at Moxie Fab. I love the color combo and, of course, the damask pattern from the inspiration piece. My die cut heart is stamped with PTI's Damask Designs in Vintage Cream pigment ink as well as the Polka Dots on the card base. The sentiment is also from Damask Designs and the chipboard bird cage is Maya Road, covered in cream Making Memories paint and then sprinkled with TCP Glitzy Glitter.

Well, that's all from me today. Hope you all have a great day, and thanks for stopping over!
~Amy

It's a sweet TCP Tuesday blog hop!

It's a TCP Tuesday Valentine blog hop featuring some sweet Kitty Kat Packs! The Kitty Kat Packs will include one stamp set, Sweet Thing buttons and Sweet Thing glitter. My cards use one of the four featured stamp sets, Be Still My Beating Heart, along with new Sweet Thing buttons. You may have arrived here from Jen's blog, or just by chance, but if you want to start at the very beginning, hop on over to our TCP hostess, Susan!

If you will, imagine that felt heart sprinkled with some of the new glitter...ever have one of those days, where you sorta missed the boat 'cause you just plain "forgot" to get on? That's me, lately! The patterned paper is Chocolate Kiss from MFT, which is available in a 6x6 paper pack or as a digi download!

Next up is another Valentine, probably for my hubby (yeah, I'm ahead of the game!), done in more masculine colors: burgundy, kraft and black. I love the double-line heart emphasizing the scripted heart, but if I had it to do over, I would clear emboss the double-line heart (duh, it's stamping, of course I can "do it over"!). A burgundy heart, stamped with Be Mine overlaps the larger heart and pulls your eye to the small script. The hearts are all tied up with a Sweet Thing button.

I have to say that the Sweet Thing button pack is an absolute perfect mix of buttons for your 2010 Valentines--it's got reds, pinks, blacks and even a heart shaped "button" made of pearl beads. And, the glitter has every shade of pink glitter that a girl's heart could desire, so don't miss out on a great opportunity to get your hands on both along with one of those TCP sets you've had your eye on, huh?! Here's a full shot of my hubby Valentine!

Let's move right along to Leigh's blog for the next stop on the hop! You just know she'll knock 'yer sweet socks off! Here's a quick recap on the KKP before I go...

Kitty Kat Packs include:
Sweet Thing glitter, Sweet Thing buttons, plus one of the following sets:

• Be Still My beating Heart
• Loving Mew
  
• Puppy Love
• Hearts and Flowers

Have a sweet & swanky day!
Amy

It's a TCP Tuesday {Baby Shower} Blog Hop!

Fun stuff today, everyone: one of the Cat Pack has increased her litter by one! Last week, Jen del Muro gave birth to a bouncing baby boy, Nicolas! You can read more about it on Jen's blog here. In honor of baby Nicolas, the Cat Pack is hosting a virtual blog hop baby shower, so you may have stopped here from Toni's blog, and after you peek at my baby card for Jen and family, hop on over to Liegh's blog for more shower goodness!

My card uses lil' cowboy Ronnie (Havin' a PowWow), but we'll call him Nicolas today, ok?! I used today's color challenge colors and added a bit of Spring Moss green as well. Once I started with this card, I just kept going back to my stamp table and adding this and that and the other thing until it was "done", so I hope it's not "overdone"! Cowboy Nicolas is colored with Copics, the chocolate layer is embossed with a SU! texturz plate (paisley), the patterned paper is from October Afternoon (Farm Fresh), and the button topped name is spelled out with TCP's Coolvetica Alpha. Lastly, "Howdy" is from It's a Western Thing.

Here's a list of the blog hop team, beginning with our hostess with the mostest, Joanne!

Joanne
Ana
Toni
Amy (me!)
Leigh
Susan
Alma

Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger

This is the first time I've played along with Cath's Tuesday Trigger challenge over at Moxie Fab World, inspired by a piece from the Papercrafts Go-To Gal, Maren Benedict. I decided to interpret some of the piece quite literally and then used some of the colors as accents.

I clear embossed the tree branch from PTI's Out on a Limb, after stamping it in vanilla craft ink. My bird is die cut from a thin piece of cork board with a signature "Maren" ribbon embellishment topping off the central circular panel. The sentiment is also from PTI's Vintage Picnic Sentiments.

Thanks for stopping by today!
~Amy

A common thread...

I have two cards to share with you today...another Whipper Snapper quilt card and an Emerson Quillin image that I posted on the AAS blog yesterday. Their colors: red, black, kraft and cream make for a common theme. I didn't intentionally do this, nor did I even create them on the same day...barely within the same week. My brain must be drawn to these colors for some reason...I'd love to know why!

First is my quilt card using Anna Wight's Springtime Quilt...

Next is Group Therapy by Emerson Quillin for AAS...

Hmm...thinking my brain is secretly gearing up for Valentine's Day...thus the red and black? Have a great weekend all!

~Amy

A Glitterified TCP Tuesday!

Hi everyone! I'm here with this week's TCP Tuesday 91 challenge: add a little glitter or sparkle to your project this week. As you probably already know, The Cat's Pajamas carries a fabulous assortment of German Glass Glitter, in all sorts of swell colors. Click HERE to see them all!

For my project, I used chunky clear glass glitter from the Holiday Glitzy Collection and adhered it to my painted chipboard snowflake with a coat of Modge Podge. I just love the subtle texture and sparkle it gives the snowflake.

Poochie has been skating around and got caught up on the button topped bow. Actually, he thinks its his personal skating rink and is lovin' every minute of it! I colored Poochie's nose and sweater cuffs with Copics and hand-knit, I mean paper pieced, his sweater with a scrap of K&Co. Classic K Margo.

Are you ready to get glitterified? Here are all the TCP Tuesday deets, so you can play along:

1. Each a week one of The Cat’s Pajamas DT members will host a challenge--it's ME this week!
2. The challenges will vary {stamp, techinque, color, theme, sketch, etc.}
3. You will have until the end of the month to complete the challenge.
4. Post your design to the guestbook on Alma's blog by the end of the month. Winner is chosen from the guestbooks each month.
5. TCP stamps are not required, but of course, highly encouraged. {Unless it is a challenge calling for a specific stamp}
6. There will be one winner each month. They will be deemed that month’s Swankiest Stamper and get $25 in Cat’s Cash {money to spend on the TCP site!}.
7. Only designs posted to the guestbook will be considered for the Swanky Stamper.
8. The newly crowned Swanky Stamper will be announced on the First of the Month and have his/her winning entry posted on The Cat’s Pajamas website where he/she will reign for the entire month.

There you have it--this week's challenge, a sample and all the deets, so go get glitterified!
Amy

Belated Christmas Wishes

Here it is--our 2009 Christmas card! Pretty much my style lately--a day late, a dollar short, but since one of my readers asked about it, I thought I'd better show you this year's (or would that be "last year's" Christmas card). These are my three very normal, wonderful children that I just couldn't live without! The "normal" reference means that while I love them with all my heart, they're very normal in the sense that they're not perfect *insert shocked face*, which keeps me on my toes! BTW, I was an extremely "normal" kid, too *wink*!

I'd toyed with the idea of ordering photo cards, to the point of designing them and putting them in my virtual shopping card, and then I remembered all those cool holiday sets I'd ordered from Papertrey Ink to "make" my Christmas cards...so as guilt would have it, I came up with this very simple, very easily mass-produced card that I really, really love! This version uses a strip of Ripe Avocado for the sentiment, but my first two batches of the cards used a strip of Kiwi Kiss. Love both versions! I'd also played around with Damask Designs for the lower portion of the card, but ended up using Giga Guidelines for most of the cards.

The hard part of the entire card making process was finding 5x7 (A7) envelopes--can you believe that none of the office supply-type stores in the area carry them? I ended up ordering them from Anchor Paper, which is fairly local, so they arrived in a couple of days and I was able to get the cards in the mail before Christmas.

Tomorrow I'm TCP Tuesday hostess, so be sure to peek in!
Amy

A toast to you!

I have had a pad of fun Crafty Secrets Girlfriends Notes for quite some time now, and I finally got the nerve to use one of them! Honestly, I just didn't know how to incorporate them into a card or some type of project, so they just sat gathering dust, and every once in awhile I'd stumble upon them...just waiting to be used.

This is a gift bag tag that I used for my SIL's birthday, and she's a New Year baby, so it couldn't have been more perfect for her. I added other vintage elements with the Damask Designs and Text Style sets from Papertrey Ink, and then topped the stamping with a piece of leftover K&Co. Classic K Margo patterned paper that I'd been using on my Whipper Snapper quilt cards. I topped off the image with a sentiment flag secured with a felt blossom and Foo-fa-la button.

Looking at that button reminds me of my first IRL visit with Lisa Zappa, who gave me the Crafty Secrets pad and talked me into buying the bag of Foo-fa-la buttons, all about a year ago. Here's to you, Lisa! BTW, Lisa is also the one who gave me my first Bingo card. Ü

I'll be back on Tuesday as your TCP Tuesday hipster hostess with the mostest, so be sure to stop in and play along!

Amy

More Whipper Snapper Quilts...

Hi folks, long time-no blogging, eh?! Well, I've got a couple more Whipper Snapper designs for you today using the newly released sets, Quilting Forever & Springtime Quilt. I've named my two quilts, Cherry Quilt and Comfort Quilt.

In my previous post, I talked about the pattern used in the Comfort Quilt card being a "double wedding ring", but after using it again, I realized it's not a double wedding ring pattern. If you know the pattern, let me know! The central heart is die cut with the quilt adhered behind. I also embossed the die cut chocolate layer for added texture and stitched around the perimeter of the opening. My sewing machine has been giving me tension fits, but I think the wonky stitching fits right in with the look of the card. Another smaller heart was embossed using my Scor-Pal and bone folder and then ruffed up on the edges a bit. Buttons and a sentiment flag finish this one off.

Here's my Cherry Quilt which uses K&Co. Classic K Margo paper along with PTI's Aqua Mist, all stitched together. Each quilt block is colored with matching Copics, layered on a scalloped square. I sponged the edges of everything with PTI's Vintage Touch Tea Dye Chai ink for a more vintage quilt look. I finished off the bottom of the patterned paper layer with a ruffled ribbon and button.

I've got another quilt (card) almost ready, so stop back soon for another one. Also, Mary commented the other day, wondering if I was going to post my Christmas card (which I said I'd do and still haven't), so keep your eyes peeled for that one as well!

Thanks for stopping in today~Amy