First EVA DT for Stamping Vacation

(this is a sticky post until August 15- scroll down for more recent posts)

Yup, I am a member of the Stamping Vacation's first ever DT.

Denise asked if I wanted to take part & of course I said yes!!! I will be proudly displaying creations for her PICK 3 Challenges on the first of each month.

Haven't heard of Stamping Vacation Challenge Blog. Well let me tell you a bit about it.

Denise runs the blog & she is awesome!

She is aiming to have a challenge for each day of the month to run for one month.

If you go to the blog you will find a list of challenges on the left hand side.

Various challenges.

Various themes.

Embellish it Challenge-Got a butterfly embellishement, there's a challenge here,

Color Combo Challenge-Got a card with bright blue, light blue & yellow, there's a challenge here,

Lots of Paper Challenge-Got a paper with dots, there's a challenge here,

NO-NO Challenge-Got a card you did not use the color white on, there's a challenge here,

Occasion Oasis-Got a 'thinking of you card, there's a challenge here........

...................& the list goes on & on. (vintage with a paper doily, photo inspirations, etc, etc,)

Themes change monthly!

Every time you enter a challenge, your name goes into a draw at the end of  the month for a $25.00 gift certificate to a store.....sometimes you chose the store, sometimes it is pre-chosen.

For the month of July the gift cert is to "All that scraps".

REQUEST:

Should you decide to go the Stamping Vacation Challenge blog & become a follower (link to do so found above the image on left hand side), all I ask is that you leave a comment somewhere,

 saying that I sent you there.

Denise, has a bit of a challenge going on for the new DT members............

......................."a surprise" of sorts for the DT member who gets the most people to become followers by October 1st!! (Is this cheating by me telling you, I DUNNO??!?!?!)heehee

 Go CHECK IT OUT !!!!

Something other than a DT card.........

It was nice to just sit down tonight between bathing the kids, feeding the babe, & aiding my oldest to make a card of her own, to make a couple cards for Christmas & NOT for a DT.

At the ABC Christmas Challenge, the letter is Q for Quick with the extra of a sketch to follow & to make more than one of them!

I chose the image A Mother's Love from Prairie Fairy Designs.

No coloring needed (except a bit for the snow).

Matching paper pack used.

Complete with matching stickers for all the corners.

A couple buttons & c'est fin!

I am off to the city tomorrow for a pedicure, while my daugter gets the royal treatment of a pedicure AND manicure as she is the flower girl this Saturday in my sisters wedding. (I will post pics next week).

So this is my official post I am writing right now, all the rest will be scheduled. Sure hope they work!!!

Challenges for my card:

Donna's Den- something sweet

The Crazy Challenge- forest friends- back to nature

Creative Craft Challenge- animal antics

ABC Christmas Challenge- Q for quick & sketch X2

Ann's Creative Nook- Christmas in August

Kah-Wink-E-Dink- fav. digi stamp

Amy at A thousand Sheet of Paper has Big Candy to give away!

1000 sheets for One Thousand Sheets

"That's a lot of paper, huh? Perhaps just a bit crazy to send all to one person, so I'm breaking it apart into five candies of 200 sheets each. And the fun doesn't stop there! I couldn't celebrate a wonderful, exciting, surprising and simply amazing year of stamping and blogging without throwing some stamps into the mix as well! So I have collected stamps from all of my most favorite companies into one MEGA CANDY! Wanna know who all is included? There is:

Sweet November Coral Reefweaver, Chanter Heartsong, Coriander Fairy and Darby & Penelope


CC Designs Lil Emma Bug, Cherry Emma and Halloween Hansel

The Greeting Farm Miss Anya Dressy set, Fairy Chloe and Fairy Eva


Tickled Pink Lil Lolita Ivy and 60's Mod Ivy


Simply Betty Stamps Lola and Miller

Stamping Bella Maisy Ketto

Christy Croll Appley bowl Huggabug (since I couldn't include one of her fab Tiddly inks digis)


My Favorite Things Pure Innocence Fairy Girl


Sugar Nellie Gorjuss Girl "Just a girl"


Kraftin' Kimmie Drucilla and lots of little extras

Lili of the Valley Tiptoe fairy

Wondering what you need to do for a chance to win all of these plus some yummy paper? Well, because this is pretty big and I'm pretty excited about it, I really want to spread the word sooooo... in order to be eligible to win the grand prize you have to post about the 1000 sheets blog candy on your own blog (feel free to right click and use the paper photo above or even the stamp photo below), linking directly back to this post. Once you've done that, just leave a comment here and you will be entered... easy peasy! Like always, I will ship anywhere so all are welcome to play! :)

I will leave this candy open through Friday, September 3rd then random generator will pick a winner and I will announce on Saturday, September 4th.

Head over here to check it out!

Stay tuned for my very own candy to be posted Thursday!

Crafty Cardmakers DT- Happy Birthday!

Well it's time to sing: hmmmmmmmm .....lalalala..................uh hm....

Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday to Crafty Cardmakers,

Happy birthday to you!!

Yup Crafty Cardmakers is ONE year old on Aug 10 !! Wow, a whole year in the making and we have all of our lovely followers to thank. Young & Old, Veteran & Newbies......................each & every ONE of you have made Crafty Cardmakers a success!!! WOOHOO! Give yourselves a big pat on the back!!! Not to forget who brought this baby to life- Vixykins- such a creative vixen herself! I thank you for the chance to be part of such a great team!

On that note it is time for the next challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers which suitably so, is a

birthday challenge!
We are being sponsored by none other than the lovely Joanna Sheen with a gift cert. for her store.

Make a birthday creation & land it here for all of us to see!!

I have used an image from Prairie Fairy Designs called Daffodils. I used my lovely, bright & cheery Basic GreyLemonade Paper Pack  to help my card to come alive! As you can see I embossed the pink paper behind the label nestability cut out daffodil image & matting! I used my slit punch to slide the ribbon (from Really Reasonable Ribbons) underneath the image from one side to the other. I recycled some flower accents from an arrangement my daughter brought home and added a bit of stitching & a blingy heart charm. A few pearls compliment my buttefly & sentiment. 

An area of interest on my card is the technique I used on the image.

It is called the spotlight technique.

I printed the digital image twice, colored an area of one of them (the area I wanted to 'spotlight') then I cut it out, matted it on some paper & placed it on the second image I had printed, just so!

 This technique is also our SPOTLIGHT technique at the Crafty Cardmakers sight.

Yes, the spotlight technique is 'spotlighting'.....................confused me at first too, but if you follow my lead, your are bound to get it right!! lol

REMEMBER- you have another whole week to get in the current spotlight challenge of PUNCHES!

Thanks for stopping by today.

Challenge for my card:

Basic Grey- pearls

Daring Cardmakers- peridot birthstone

Your Next Stamp -birthdays

Simon Says Stamp- sing it baby (does singing happy b-day to the blog count?)

MoJo Monday- sketch

Sentimantal Sundays- anything goes

Our Creative Corner- it's embossable

Tuesday Throwdown- spotlighting

Stay tuned for my blog candy coming soon!

Creative Inspirations DT- - Reuse, Recycle & DT call

First of all I have to say WOW< WOW< WOW to all the amazing entries into our anything goes challenge from the last fortnight!! FANTASTIC to see so many fabulous creations that keep inspiring us each day!!!

Thank you!!!

Secondly, if you've ever wanted to be part of  design team, now is your chance......we are putting out a call!

Hop on over to the Creative Inspirations Challenge & enter your name in the first linky on the blog!

Lastly my card.  For the next 2 weeks at Creative Inspirations we are asking you to use some thing recycled on your projects! What have you got laying around.....who's clothes can you rip apart.....what can you steal from your child, husband, pet.................mwahhahaaa........

Also this week at Creative Inspirations we are being sponsored by not one but TWO fabulous sponsors:

 1. Meljens Designs, who is offering up 4 images to the winner, supplied us with images for this challenge

   AND

2. Fantastic Ribbons, who will be sponsoring the 1st challenge of every month from here on out-will supply

 10 rolls of ribbons to the winner!! 

WHOA!!! 

The image is I used is Woodland Fairy & can be purchased at the Whimsy Store.  

The paper is from CTMH, small butterfly blings & flowers are misc and sentiment is from the Sentimental Sundays blog, where every Sunday they have free sentiments available for download.

MY RECYCLED ITEMS ARE:  the pink ribbon, I found under my toddler's mattress.....lol....don't even ask me what it was doing there........

and

the blue butterfly clip in the bottom right corner. I purchased this for my daughter when she was like 4-5 yrs old. She wore the matching set once to the celebratory dinner for my college grad. It matched a blue little princess dress, perfectly. Needless to say, she is not into the CUTSEY anymore! haha .

I added a bit of bling to her dress & swirls!

Thanks for stopping by today and I sure hope to see you at the Creative Inspiration challenge over the next two weeks.

Challenges for my card:

Pollycraft Mondays- fit for a princess

Creative Card Crew- cute & girly

Cute Card Thursday - whateva

Stamp Insanity-petals & swirls

Craft Your Days Away (CYDA)- fav. things (EMbellies!!)

Pls check back as I will be posting some blog candy within the next week!!!

(DBLE your chances to win by becoming a follower)

Fairy Fun Friday DT- circle themed card........(2nd post today)

This week at Fairy Fun Friday we want to see a circle themed card.

Make a circle shaped card with a circle surrounding the image, or make a square card with a circle surrounding the image.........or even better, make a totally different creation, such as a scrapbook layout, ATC, or altered item ............as long as it has a circle surrounding the main image, you are good to go!

I used the image "Storytime" from Prairie Fairy Designs.

I took it to the literal extent and made a circle card, with small scallops around the border, and multiple circle shapes in the center.

Then POW!!!  It becomes a circle easle card.

I used a tag from The Cutting Cafe. I figured that since the kids will be going back to school soon, I would make my little storytime dragon into a little book worm, since he is reading afterall!

I kept the embellishments to a minimum...........which is VERY rare for me, but I thought it didn't really need any little extras, besides a bow, some buttons and a little flower.

Thanks for stopping by today, hope to see you at FFF this week!!!

Challengs for my card to follow:

Treehouse Challenge- back to school

Cute card Thursday - whateva!

Crafty Catz- buttons & bows

Cowgirls Sunday Challenge- animals or bugs

Digital Tuesday- 2 diff digital companies-1 card

Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge- anything goes

Pixie Dust Studio Challenge- cute as a button (use buttons)

Don't forget - BIG CANDY COMING SOON! be sure to check back!

 (If your a follower, chances D"O"U"B"L"E)

Fussy & Fancy DT Tribute with Pink & Black - Part Deux (1st post today)

This is week #2 at Fussy & Fancy  where (last week) we joined forces with the Groovy Gurlz from StampInsanity for a very special cause.

Beth of StampInsanity has created a new set of stamps called "Katie for a Cure" in honor of her cousin. Read below for details....

"Katie for a Cure is a very special set I designed to honor my cousin Kate, who earlier this year, at age 33, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Kate is the picture of health and vitality, and her spirit is magical. She has two very young children, and is in the prime of her life – which makes her diagnosis all the more distressing. As only Katie can, she is fighting this disease with the strength and grace of a pure champion. Her story is sadly not unique, but this is my Katie, and I had to do something. It is tragic, but I am sure that my family is not the only one to have this disease repeatedly rearing its head at us. It is my hope that together we will raise a donation that we can all be proud of. And if nothing else, Kate will get a smile from all the beautiful cards that you share with us. Thank you all in advance for your donations and your creations!"

This set is exclusively available at the StampInsanity Store & will retail for $10.00.

This is strictly a fundraising effort & all proceeds will go to the Susan B Komen Foundation & American Cancer Society.

At the above site you will also find a PayPal "donation" button for those who do not wish to purchase the set but still aid with fundraising efforts.

StampInsanity is also our sponsor this week and is donating a set of digis to the winner of this challenge.

REMEMBER - Pink & Black is Fussy & Fancy Challenge  for the next week!

Please stop over at the Fussy & Fancy blog to see what the other half of the DT have cooked up for you this week.

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Here is my creation with the beautifully designed set! I made a card last week & could not resist making another card for this week! I had forgotten about this fab paper pack I picked up at the dollar store....very distressing & rough yet sheek.

Take Care!

Challenges for my card:

Cupcake Craft Challenge- distressing

Paper Sundaes- stitching

The Crafty Pad- ribbons & flowers

The Stamp Man- take 2 colors

Stamp Something- photo inspiration

Don't forget to check back for BIG CANDY coming VERY Soon!!

(PS- if your a follower chances D"O"U"B"L"E )

Exciting NEWS, something funny & unfinished business....

We'll start with the unfinished business............

A while back, I posted about how I was giving my daughters room a makeover.

Now I can't find that post & the 'before' pictures are also gone off my camera---oops probly deleted!!! Anywho, I have the 'after' pics here.

This is a little cubby in one corner of her room, wuz once filled with paper trays, a messy desk, barbies & barbie such things (van, clothes, etc, etc) & the walls were plastered with JONAS brothers posters.

Now it is a comfortable nook for reading, writing or just hanging out in. I put up shelves for the books she chose to keep & bought little baskets for her doo-dads & a moon chair. Yup, walls are pink and will reamain so until she is 18 or until I get the energy to switch it up.

 (Pic below) This is to the left of her doorway. A new 'trendy' clock, a bulliten board and a cool new hamper all fit in nicely with the 'hip & rad' feel of her room.

ALSO...............................

...remember I posted about  our guppies having babies.............like 20 or so, that I successfully transferred to a little fishtank big enough for them to grow up in until they can withstand the swirly motion of the 'big tanks'  filter system.............................(pic can be seen here)

DH decided he was taking over care of the little fishes and dumped them all into the big tank about 3 weeks ago. Needless to say.......we have two survivors! Poor little things. I didn't talk to hubby for a whole day because of what he did and I told him to keep his hands off from now on!!! RIP sweeties

A FUNNY.........................

You know you better get control of your crafting supplies when your puppy has pearls stuck to her lip.

Kinda looks like a mole.

Very Cindy Crawford, I'd say!

We'll call her Roxy (her name) Crawford.

FINALLY..............................

As for my "Creative Writer" award I recently gave out to those who chose to accept it, I was to tell 6 truths & a lie or something of that nature..............WELL, the lie is that I used to work at Hooters. I NEVER DID. My weight is correct, my fav color is brown and all the rest of it is true, except hooters....I dunno, do I consider this a compliment?!! Bwahhahahaa!!

***************************************

AS FOR MY EXCITING NEWS............

Miss  Sugar of Die Cut Dreams Challenge blog, Die Cut Dreams Christmas Club Challenge blog & the new Totally Tilda Challenge blog has asked me if I wanted to join the Totally Tilda DT!!!

OF COURSE I ACCEPTED!!!!!

So keep your eyes peeled for a candy giveaway going up on my blog in the Very Near Future!!

BTW- here's a sneak peak of my DT card for my first challenge [challenge #3] at Totally Tilda !!

Thanks for popping by today! See you soon!

Crafty Cardmakers Spotlight DT card- PUNCHES

Welcome to WEEK #2 of the RECIPE CHALLENGE over at Crafty Cardmakers.

Recipe: Punches or Stickers, Yellow or Orange, Animal or Fish

The spotlight for this week is on

PUNCHES--NOT DIE CUTS!!!  !

Just to recap:

These spotlight challenges will run alongside our regular fortnightly challenge but they are challenge in their own right and also run for a fortnight (until the next spotlight).

On the spotlight challenge we will look at a style of card, technique or product with the team making various wonderful samples which should give you loads of ideas.

They are just for fun, no pressure challenges so NO Top 5 but we will offer candy from time to time.

You will notice that the team also does the challenge from last week (which is still open for another week which you will find HERE) It is so that we all get a chance to play it but you may choose to also do that in which case pop your entry in both or you may just play the spotlight challenge....its no different than combining challenges :)

Breakdown----

Make a creation following last weeks recipe- enter into first weeks linky

Make a creation following this weeks spotlight- enter into this weeks linky

Make a creation following last weeks recipe with this weeks spotlight- enter into both weeks linkies
Make a creation next week with the new challenge theme but with this weeks spotlight (punches) enter into next weeks linky AND this spotlight linky

Clear as mud!!!

Although I did not create an actual image with punches I did use most of the punches I own on various aspects of this card. After voluteering for the punches spotlight, I realized I probly don't have as many as everyone else, so I was bound & determined to do the best dang job I could.

I used:

My Fiskars corner punch for the corners of all three layers behind Elsie the Elephant from Prairie Fairy Designs.

SU border punch used for small strip of bright yellow paper & MS border punch used for large light yellow paper behind Elsie. I punched out my sentiment (from The Cutting Cafe) with my SU Tag punch & SU butterfly punch for (yup) the butterflies. I made a flower with my 5/8" round punch from EK Success, popped a button in the middle & used my MS leaf punch for (yup) the leaves!

I used my scallop punch on the inside to set a frame behind my circle shape which I cut out with my Creative Memories circle cutter & blades--not really a punch, but a shape nonetheless.

I hope you come and play with us at Crafty Cardmakers. Heck, just stop by to see all the beautiful creations by the DT............we will surely inspire you!!!

Challenges for my card:

 Digital Tuesdays- dazzle us (enuf dazzle?)

Creative Inspirations Wednesday Challenge- animals

Flutterby Wednesdays- open theme (with my butterfly)

CRAFT- hot & spicy colors

Charisma Cardz- something with a tail

Craftalicious- make ur own flowers

Daring Cardmakers- it's a girl thing

All Sorts- dressing up

Challenge up your life- celebrations

SOG like Tilda to me!

I just love these Some Odd Girl (SOG) images. They are so cute & addicting. SOG images are to me what Tilda is to others (& to me too, since I love coloring Magnolia stamped images as well)!!!

I couldn't wait to see what the next challenge was at SOG & here it is .......'So Punny'.

Here we have Snow Fight Kody. I was just dying to make another Christmassy card and was fortunate to come up with a funny little saying to match the image with Christmas.

The sketch is from CSAYL & I added my own little HOMEMADE 'flowery snowball' in the top left corner out of the wired ribbon you see on the bottom right hand corner of the picture. This homemade flower allows me to enter the Craftalicious challenge. 

I had JUST bought this fabriccy type paper (label says "100% cotton paper made in India") at the local craft store (okay not so local, being 1.5 hrs away) and was chomping at the bit to use it, so when I saw the color challenge over at  Pixie Dust Studio Challenge (navy-grey/silver- white/ivory), I knew this paper would be perfect. And the cotton paper allows me to enter the Crafty Catz Challenge.

I made the sentiment on my puter & while it is a 'pun' of sorts it makes me smile so am attempting this at Sentimental Sundays challenge of 'it's all fun & games'. Hey it is fun with snowballs involved!!!! lol

You can see my paper tearing attempt, as well, in this last photo. This is for the challenge over at Bah-Humbug.

Other Challenges for my card:

Stamp with fun- card for a boy/man

Stamp Something- Christmas in July

Our Creative Corner- Christmas in July

Stamptacular Sundays- Christmas in July

Cupcake inspiration photo: (below)

Hope you all have a great rest of the wknd & thank for stopping by today!!

Fairy Fun Friday DT- 3D !!!

This week at Fairy Fun Friday we are asking you to put on your 3D glasses & create something magical.

My contribution is  Baby  Emily from the Prairie Fairy Design store.

I have made a card & matching carriage (or as my DT members like to call it ......a pram!?!?!?).

I saw someone make one somewhere along in my blog travels & simply had to follow the directions found here. My measurements were sooooooooooo off, but luckily my little present in the carriage hides ALL the mistakes I made.

I have since given this to a girlfriend of mine who recently had a baby girl!

Put on your thinking caps & come join me & the rest of the DT at Fairy Fun Fridays this week!

Challenges for my card-

Friends Having Fun- card sketch

Simon Says Stamp- going dotty

Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge- recipe 1 ribbon, 2 DP, 3 embellies

Dutch Dare Challenge- anything goes

All Sorts- for a child/baby

Simple Doodles- get out of the box

Fussy & Fancy DT Tribute with Pink & Black

It's Fussy & Fancy time & the theme is Pink & Black.

We are usually here on Friday's but today is Thursday..............what the ?!?!!

We are one day early this week at Fussy & Fancy due to a joint effort with the Groovy Gurlz from StampInsanity for a very special cause.

Beth of StampInsanity has created a new set of stamps called "Katie for a Cure" in honor of her cousin. Read below for details....

"Katie for a Cure is a very special set I designed to honor my cousin Kate, who earlier this year, at age 33, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Kate is the picture of health and vitality, and her spirit is magical. She has two very young children, and is in the prime of her life – which makes her diagnosis all the more distressing. As only Katie can, she is fighting this disease with the strength and grace of a pure champion. Her story is sadly not unique, but this is my Katie, and I had to do something. It is tragic, but I am sure that my family is not the only one to have this disease repeatedly rearing its head at us. It is my hope that together we will raise a donation that we can all be proud of. And if nothing else, Kate will get a smile from all the beautiful cards that you share with us. Thank you all in advance for your donations and your creations!"

This set is exclusively available at the StampInsanity Store & will retail for $10.00.

This is strictly a fundraising effort & all proceeds will go to the Susan B Komen Foundation & American Cancer Society.

At the above site you will also find a PayPal "donation" button for those who do not wish to purchase the set but still aid with fundraising efforts.

StampInsanity is also our sponsor this week and  is donating a set of digis to the winner of this challenge.

So don't forget to hop over to the StampInsanity Blog as well to give those Groovy Gurlz some love.

Here is my creation with the beautifully designed set!

REMEMBER - Pink & Black is Fussy & Fancy Challenge for the next 2 weeks......

.....half the DT presents this week & the other half of the DT presents next week!

It is my first triangle Easle card that I have yet to Per-Fect! haha

I popped up Katies' glasses and now that I look at it more closely, she looks like a pilot! LOL.

Hey I tried my best-est!

I also paper pieced her shirt! Cool hey. Love piecing with digis!

Please join us at Fussy & Fancy for the next two weeks................

Love to see you there!

Challenges for my card:

Lexi's Creations- paper piecing

Cowgirls Sunday Challenge- anything goes

Dutch Dare Challenge- anything goes

Treehouse Thursday Challenge- spots & dots

StampInsanity- pink & black for a cure