Apples for the teacher {SFYTT"

After a nice, hot summer filled with good times and memories with both family and friends, it's time for me to head back to work on Monday morning, so my SFYTT card was inspired by my thoughts of returning to school. In honor of this annual event, I've chosen PTI's Teacher's Apple for my card today. I've also attempted to fashion 'apples' from punched red circles fit with leaves using my MFT's Leaf Trio die and a snip of brown felt for a stem.

Can't wait to see what the girls have done with Jen's sketch today, because it was a bit of a head scratcher for me!

Jen del Muro & Ashley N. Newell
Amy Sheffer
Amber Hight
Carole Burrage
Jenn Diercks
Jodi Collins
Kelly Lunceford
Leigh O'Brien
Megan Lock
Sony Christoph
Susan Liles

MFT WSC: Floral Fantasy Challenge

I'm thrilled to welcome you to my first official post as a new member of the My Favorite Things Wednesday Stamp Club (WSC) Challenge Team! Visit the MFT blog for the official WSC design team announcement. Thanks to Kim for this fun-tastic opportunity!!

Today's challenge is called "Floral Fantasy", and I pushed the limits a bit (what's new?!) by adding florals to my tree. Now, these aren't just any florals on a plain ol' tree, they're none other than MFT's Die-namics Flower Trio & Sheltering Tree dies. Each of these dies comes with a leaf trio as well. This tree die is a must-have, ladies...it not only cuts the tree shape, it also embosses a woodgrain pattern on the trunk as well...that's called killing two birds with one stone in my book of logic! I also used the Die-namics Framed Greetings and Stamp Set as well, stamped in brown ink on a scrap of October Afternoon patterned paper. Both pieces of patterned paper are from the Fly A Kite pad.

We'd love to have you play along with this week's Floral Fantasy challenge, and you can always find more inspiration, challenge deets and MFT chatter at Splitcoastampers in the MFT Member Co. forum, so head on over!

Have a beautiful Wednesday...
~Amy

TCP Customer Blog Hop!

Have you had a chance to play with your new The Cat's Pajamas stamps yet? This is your chance to get those TCP stamps inky and play along in our first ever Customer Blog Hop for your chance to win all of the sets in the next TCP release and play along with the Cat Pack on release night. The upcoming release is not only a big one, as in numbers of sets, it's one of the bestest ever! Check out Alma's blog for all the details of the hop. You'll see all of the participants thus far on the right hand sidebar of Alma's blog, and I'm particularly smitten with this creation by Jodi Collins...gotta love a purple Vespa!

We're having a Cat Pack Hop as well for added incentive, so you may have hopped here from Toni's blog. When you're done with my post, hop on over to Carole's blog for more TCP Tuesday fun. I've got a fun little project to share with you today, a variation of my August Project of the Month over at TCP. This is something you could whip up before midnight tonight to be eligible to win, so let's get going! Here is a side view of the matchbook card holding tea bags, embellished with images and sentiments from Ship Happens.

A detail shot of the inside sentiment, highlighted by a Baby Love Glitzy glitter water spray ...

A view of the open matchbook...

And, finally, the front cover...

The image is colored with Copics along with paper pieced hats, wood grain spoon mast, telescope & sentiment oval fashioned from TCP's Paper Thin Wood Veneer sheets.

I'm going to keep this short and sweet so you all have time to get TCP stampin' today. Good luck!
~Amy

Happy Birthday {SFYTT} x 2!

I have two cards to share for today's SFYTT, one that George gave Ed for his birthday on Tuesday and another using a cute image from this week's SFYTT sponsor, The Greeting Farm called Birthday Boy Ian.

This card will most likely be George's birthday card next month when he turns 3! It's hard to believe he's already that old, and while 3 years doesn't seem all that long, the mental, physical and emotionally growth in three years completely amazes me. Here's a little anecdote to prove my point: yesterday I accidentally let the 'sh' word slip out the front door within George's supersonic hearing range, after which he continued to discuss for the following 10 minutes all of the reasons I shouldn't say the 'sh' word, and what happens when mommy says the 'sh' word...only he didn't say "the 'sh' word", he said the real word, about 20 times. He already knows that it is theoretically "ok" to say sh** in a teaching context...boy, oh boy am I in trouble!

Oh, you wanted to know about the card deets? Ü Well, my cute little Ian is flanked by a die cut "3" using my Cuttlebug Red Tag Alphabet; there are subtle backgrounds stamped on the green and blue layers using PTI's Polka Dot 2 and ruler from It's Official. Finally, I pierced a half circle to emphasize and balance out the right side of the card.

The next card features a picture of my little George with birthday greetings for Dad. The PTI die cut ticket is stamped with a Verve sentiment that could make any dad well up...love Verve sentiments! The scripty paper is October Afternoon Thrift Shop and there's a bit of texture added with my PTI woodgrain impression plate.

You may have noticed that I flipped the sketch for my first card. I love both versions, as I do with all of Jen's sketches! Let's see if any of the other SFYTT sisters have flipped this week, ha!

Jen del Muro & Ashley N. Newell
Amy Sheffer
Amber Hight
Carole Burrage
Jenn Diercks
Jodi Collins
Kelly Lunceford
Leigh O'Brien
Megan Lock
Sony Christoph
Susan Liles

happy birthday {dear}

A super short post today because I just got back from St. Louis and have lots of catching up to do! Had a great time there watching my Milwaukee Brewers beat the Cardinals 2/2 games, whoo hoo! Anyway, just wanted to quickly share the birthday card I made for my husband using a PTI image and embossing plate along with a computer generated sentiment...

Inside...

I'll be back tomorrow with another SFYTT, so stop back!
~Amy

Fun & Formal {SFYTT}

I have two cards to share with you today, one formal and the other fun! I think the only thing the two have in common is the black card base, and a bit of yellow on each as well. Which would you like to see first--formal or fun?! Let's get the formalities out of the way, huh?!

The bit of patterned paper here is from October Afternoon's Thrift Shop pad and I think this yellow piece is my absolute favorite of the whole bunch...can't stop using it this week. I've paired it with black and gray, a color combo I've been wanting to put together for some time now. The sentiment is from Verve, and that purty rolled flower is made possible with my new MFT Rolled Flower Die-Namics die. That die makes it quick and easy to whip up these flowers, except it took me a little longer because I didn't want it to look too perfect...I was trying to achieve that "perfectly random" look--an oxymoron or what?!

In the detail shot, you'll notice that the sentiment is stamped on vellum overlaying a damask image (PTI) stamped in my favorite shade of yellow, So Saffron (SU!).

Ok, let's get on with the fun! My fun card uses a fun TCP Poochie image from By The Sea, colored with Copics. I've had that striped piece of patterned paper for years now, but I just love the seaside-beachy look of it, perfect with lounging Poochie. I also can't stop using these little pennant flags as embellishments, so fun while adding just a punch of color. The scripty paper is also from October Afternoon's Thrift Shop pad, and the colors of the highlighted words matched the striped piece perfectly.

Last is a shot of the inside...a birthday library card detail for our book loving nephew for his birthday. I thought the library card was a fun combination with Poochie reading on the front, although we just might have to come up with a Kindle-reading Poochie to get him with the times!

Let's see what the SFYTT sisters have done with the sketch, and don't forget to link your card to Jen's post for today...

Jen del Muro & Ashley N. Newell
Amy Sheffer
Amber Hight
Carole Burrage
Jenn Diercks
Jodi Collins
Kelly Lunceford
Leigh O'Brien
Megan Lock
Sony Christoph
Susan Liles

Have a great weekend, all!
~Amy

Happy Birthday, Cupcake!

I decided to cupcake it up today for MFT's Wednesday Stamp Club challenge to use cupcakes. I realize that my sweet cupcake here is holding more of a birthday cake, so I've decided to name her 'Cupcake' because she's that darn sweet! You'll find all the details of the challenge on the MFT blog as well as here in the MFT Member Co. forum at SCS.

My card uses PI girl, Birthday Princess, colored with Copics, standing in a layer of die cut grass. Fun embellies include mini gems on her birthday crown and twine tied buttons. The patterned paper is from my latest October Afternoon purchase, Thrift Shop 8x8 pad.

Thanks for stopping by today...hope to be back tomorrow!
Amy

TCP Tuesday 122 Color Challenge

My fellow Cat Packers, Carole and Joanne are co-hosting TCP Tuesday this week with a fun and easy color combo from Carole. You know, Carole is infamous for throwing crazy color combos at us, likes things nice and bright, so let's just say this week is our "free pass" from Carole. Trust me, she'll be back next time with a vengeance in brights and bolds, I can guarantee it!

I decided to skip an image this week and go for a fun sentiment using the Nightie alphabet set stamped on a label using my new Die-Namics framed greetings die from My Favorite Things. I picked up this MFT die at CHA and can't.stop.using.it! These flag pennant banners are EVERYWHERE in the papercrafting world, and I happen to think they're adorable, so I fashioned overlapping banners out of hearts in lieu of the traditional triangles. I've also seen some cool circle banners...hoping to make one of those as well.

So...if you're wondering what the heck (or as George would say: what the blueberry heck...long story but a funny one) the sentiment means, it goes like this: I love you, too. My 17 y.o. daughter and I happen to text back/forth quite often, mostly in the evenings, and our final messages usually end with an "ilu", which leads to, "ilu2"...or something like that. So, this one's for you, my beautiful daughter: ilu!

Thanks for stopping by today. Be sure to upload your TCP Tuesday creations to Alma's blog for your chance to win Cat Cash and/or become the next Swanky Stamper, and don't forget that you can chat it up with the Cat Pack over at Splitcoast in our Member Company forum!

~Amy

Mojo Monday 151 + TCP CutUps = Monday Funday!

What do you get when you pair the Mojo Monday sketch, TCP CutUps and MFT Die-Namics? A goofy witch, of course! I was so inspired by Leigh O'Brien's CutUps Christmas tree from last week's TCP Tuesday Supply Challenge, that I just had to stretch the horizons of TCP's new CutUps wave die for myself.

Here are the to-die-for deets on my goofy witch (ha ha, get it--to "die" for?!):

• Hair: die cut two strips of purple cardstock using CutUps wave die; emboss with PTI woodgrain Impressions plate
• Face: cut triangle from green cardstock and stamp eyes using quotation marks and mouth with "D" from TCP Babydoll alphabet set
  
• Hat: cut triangle from black cardstock and die cut brim using MFT's Framed Greetings Die-Namics die (trim bottom portion of label for brim); embellish using TCP CutUps flower button, button dies and Black Licorice Divine Twine
• Drippy green edge is MFT's Die-Namics Fresh Cut Grass die
• Sentiment layer is PTI's ticket die and a sentiment from TCP's Fright Night

Thanks for stopping by today!
~Amy

CAS {SFYTT}

Welcome to a new month of Saturday SFYTT, along with the reveal of Jen's new guest designer for August--always a fun surprise! I really like this week's sketch and think you'll find it's an easy one to work with; a sketch I'll be using again this weekend if I can find a little time to stamp.

I decided to go with a clean and simple (CAS) design, and not because of time constraints, but rather because I was just in a CAS sorta mood yesterday when I created my card. Please refer to THIS post by buddy Carole Burrage if you think CAS is the easy way out, wink! Don't get me wrong--I do love me some fun and frivolous embellishments, but sometimes I like to force myself to just stop the dang train and travel with one of my favorite mantras: less is more!

I used a combination of stamps from Verve and Papertrey Ink. The branch is from PTI's Turning a New Leaf, and the sentiment is from Verve's Dare to Be You. Other details include woodgrain embossing on the Spring Moss layer, button and twine, all from PTI as well. Clean and simple...less is more! Ü

Hope you enjoyed my "less is more" card today, and now let's get on with 'Rohl Call':

Jen del Muro & August Guest Designer
Amy Sheffer
Amber Hight
Jenn Diercks
Jodi Collins
Kelly Lunceford
Leigh O'Brien
Sony Christoph
Susan Liles

Carole Burrage
Megan Lock

~Amy

TCP Tuesday 121: CutUps Supply Challenge!

Welcome to TCP Tuesday 121, all! I know there are a bunch of you who have purchased the brand spankin' new TCP CutUps dies, so I'd like to challenge you to get crankin' with 'em...literally. If you haven't yet purchased your very own CutUps dies, you'll most likely be inspired to head on over to The Cat's Pajamas to do so! Here is a direct link to the CutUps available thus far, including flower button, button and wave dies. Even better, Alma has a 25% off sale going on August 3-8, so there's no better time to shop TCP!

Last summer, I had the TCP August Project of the Month (POTM) which featured those fun little coaster flip flops for you favorite wine glass...remember? If not, click here for a link and directions. I decided to create a little throwback project with the flip flop coasters, embellishing them up 'real nice' with the CutUps flower button die.

Miss Sprinkle is stamped in Versafine Onyx Black ink and then clear embossed for extra shine and protection from all those drips that 'happen' when you're sitting out in the hot sun sipping your favorite beverage.

The flower embellishment features two of the flowers on the die, layered and secured with a mini monogram concho. You could also use a CutUps button die to create all sorts of fun flower centers. Since I didn't use Divine Twine or other button twine to tie my flower embellishment together, I hot glued my flower embellie directly to the ribbon strap and it seems to have great 'staying' power!

The possibilities with these flower button and button dies are really endless, ladies (and gents). I'm not usually a pushy person, but these dies are pretty much "staples" in my crafty arsenal...seriously. If you need one more little push, check out this month's POTM featuring a fun little project using all three of the new CutUps dies!

As always...the TCP details:

Play along with us and add your own design to your Splitcoast Gallery using keywords TCPTues121 or to your blog and then use the Inlink button at the bottom of the post to add your design to this page. You could be eligible to be the next Swanky Stamper of the Month and win 25 smackeroos, that's $25 in Cat's Cash.

Here are the deets for the challenge.

1. Each a week one of The Cat Pack will host a challenge.
2. The challenges will vary {stamp, technique, color, theme, sketch, etc.}
3. You will have until the end of the month to complete the challenge.
4. Post your design using the Inlink Button at the bottom of this post. Your design must be linked and visible to Alma's blog post to be considered.
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 this blog post 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.

Moxie Fab Classy & Elegant Challenge

I decided to create a holiday card for the Card Style Classy and Elegant Challenge going on over at the Moxie Fab World until midnight tonight, and here she is:

When I think classy and elegant, I think clean lines, so I tried to incorporate that thought into my design with a couple of fun touches to jazz it up a bit, like the argyle embossed pink velvet paper, the pink rhinestones, and this very cool and classy new Die-Namics label die I picked up at CHA in the MFT booth. I'm really loving this die, so that means you'll be seeing lots more of it!

Don't forget to stop in tomorrow for TCP Tuesday with "me" as your hipster hostess with the mostess, which means another supply challenge to be had!

~Amy