Having a Whale of a Good Time!

One of my co-workers has a birthday this Saturday, so I baked a couple of cookies and created a mini pizza box to put them in. Then, I just needed someone cute to have the honor of wishing the lucky lady a very happy birthday.

And who cuter than Wally Whale! Of course, since he's in the ocean he needed some sparkling water  to float in. So, I added a clear layer over my image and covered the lower part of it with Stickles. To cover the adhesive on the clear cardstock and to make it seem like we are looking at him out of a port hole, I cut a circle in my patterned paper before layering it over the image.
Now, Wally's all ready to deliver my birthday message (created with MicroSoft Word)! For only .99 you can create a whole lotta cuteness for very little money. Be sure to head to Sweet N Sassy Stamps to see all the new stamps including Wally.

Monday With Mom 6

This is very late getting out today. Let  me catch you up on what's going on with me right now because I'm sure you don't have enough problems of your own and you've just been dying to read someone's whining and complaining (note the sarcasm)! I've mentioned this before but in case you are not keeping a running tally of everything that goes on in my life here it goes again (please feel free to fall asleep at this point in the story): I'm working on my master's in library science in addition to holding down my full-time job as a middle school teacher. One of our classes has involved an excessive amount of reading. Now, mind you, I love to read and ordinarily being assigned to read so many books would not bother me in the least, especially since these happen to be generally really good reads. The problem is that I've had to write about each of those books. I like writing on my blog because I can be sarcastic and silly, but I'm so drained from all this formal writing. I spend every spare minute these days mainly trying to write something. My craft room is a disaster, but husband has had to live off takeout, and my poor students have enjoyed second-rate teaching at best. I've got two weeks left in these courses and then I'm grabbing my life back, at least for a little while before the next semester begins.
Okay, wake up now. I'm through whining and I have some pretties to show you! For this Monday with Mom we decided to use our embossing folders and add a little extra dimension with chalking or sponging. Here's a look at mine. No images except for a great sentiment stamp from SNS called True Friend .

Now, take a look at what Mom did with her cuttlebug and some awesome coloring on the image!

Just beautiful, huh! Guess she hasn't been reading and writing essays! Guess that's just my excuse! Look things are going to be kinda quiet around here for a while, but I'm thinking about all my online friends and blogging buddies and cannot wait to get back to "Life as I knew it" (by the way that's almost the title of one of the books I've recently read)! Be patient with me my dear friends!

Blog Hop Winner

Thanks for joining us at the LSS Blog Hop! The winner of the LSS Sew Pretty set is:
Vicki (daisydilly)
 Vicki, please make sure that I've got the correct email address for you so Lindsay can email your stamps to you!

Monday With Mom 5

We did it again! Mom and I visited Stamptv for a little inspiration this week and found a tutorial on easy piercing. This involved using a sewing machine to create piercing on a card. It's supposed to be easier than using a paper piercer and it probably was for Mom since she's been sewing for years, but I'm not sure I've master the straight stitch. My pierced border looks a little crooked but hopefully that just gives it a more homespun look!
There's a great new image at Sweet n Sassy called Molly's Flower. Molly is soooo cute! Please buy thousands of these and beg Korin to do some more stamps with Molly! I loved coloring her.

Isn't she just adorable?
Mom put her sewing machine to good use, too. She created this beautiful Mother's Day card. Hmmm! I need one of those. Wonder if she'd let me have it (wink)!

The embossing is just gorgeous on this and yes, her piercing is perfectly straight. I really love the fresh colors on this and the elegance of the pearls.
We'd like to challenge all of you to find someone to craft with and do a joint project or share a challenge and see what you each come up with! Then, join us again next week for Monday with Mom!
Project Recipe

Paper: SU Sage Shadow and Chocolate Chip CS, My Mind's Eye PP, Neenah White Classic Crest Solar CS

Stamps: SNS Molly's Flower

Tools, Cuttlebug, Spellbinders Classic Rectangles and Deckled Rectangles Nestabilities, Janome sewing machine, copic markers, chalk

Embellishments: PTI Aqua Mist twill ribbon and twine, button, Paper Studio half pearls (colored with copics and an airbrush)

LSS Blog Hop

I hope you didn't have to miss a minute of yesterday's Shop, Hop, and Crop. The fun continues today so be sure to get on board the LSS Hop. If you didn't start at Lindsay's blog be sure you pop in there and leave a sweet comment for a chance to win an amazing stamp set. Also, be sure to visit the Virtual Crop Room where we'll be showcasing all the great things you can do with LSS digital stamps and we'll be chatting up all the challenges, too. Then, don't miss the opportunity to grab up an array of stamp sets at LSS for a 50% savings! Whoa, that's a whole lot fun for one day!
I stepped a bit out of my comfort zone here to try a style I'm not sure I've mastered yet. I love the look of vintage cards: the lace, the pearls, the distressing and aging, but it's not my "go-to" style. Still, I've seen so many projects out there that I really like with old-fashioned vintage flair that I decided to see what I could do. Lindsay's got this fabulous set called Sew Pretty that lends itself fabulously to this style. I created an anniversary card using one of the images from the set. See what you think:

I colored the pair of scissors with my copics, did some chalking around the image, and added some great Prima pearls across the front.I may not quite have my vintage technique down just yet but I'm working on it! Now, if you'd like a chance to win all the images in the Sew Pretty set, leave a comment here on my blog. I'll have a random drawing after the hop and the winner will receive the entire set. For an extra chance to win, add this blinkie to your blog, and then come back here and leave another comment letting me know you did and including your blog address.

Now, head over to Shannon for the next stop on the hop. And don't forget to CROP and SHOP, too!

Gingham in Green

It's here! Shop, hop, and crop with Lindsay's Stamp Stuff starts today. The entire LSS shop at my Grafico is 50 % off!!! Be sure to head to Lindsay's blog to begin the official hop with lots of chances to win free stamp sets. I'll be back tomorrow to give you a chance to win a set from me!
But, I created a card for the color challenge over at the virtual crop room at MyGrafico where lots more celebrating is going on. Lindsay's issued a series of challenges over there and even has freebie which everyone can go over and grab today!

I saw this bedding advertisement in Country Sampler magazine that had polka dotted and gingham bedding in bright green and additional floral accessories in yellow and green....loved it! Since changing up my bedroom is financially out of the question, I decided to recreate the room on a card. I used the LSS Doodle Flowers digital stamp set for the sentiment and flower. I colored the flower with my copics and then paired the image up with some great papers from Paper Studio and My Mind's Eye.
I really love how fresh this color combination looks and I've got a friend with a birthday later this month who's sure to enjoy this one!
Project Recipe

Paper: My Minds Eye PP, Paper Studio Brights PP, PTI Lemon Tart and New Leaf CS, Neenah White Solar Crest CS

Stamps: LSS Doodle Flowers

Tools: Cuttlebug, Spellbinders Classic and Scalloped Circles Nestabilities, copic markers, Fiskars Apron Lace border punch

Embellishments: button, green twine, SU So Saffron grosgrain ribbon

Monday with Mom 4

It's never too early to start thinking of Father's Day! Well, I haven't really thought of Mother's Day yet, but the idea for this card came to me and I thought I better get it done while the mojo was there, kwim!

I used the LSS Jean Pocket, a digital stamp from the LSS Patriotic Collection Digital Stamp set to create the pocket on the front of this card. This week's Monday with Mom inspiration came from the Stamptv video on eyelets, so Mom and I created cards that used eyelets. BUT, I cheated. I couldn't find the eyelet in the right size and color that I wanted for this project, but I had some faux eyelets made by Cloud 9 Rain Dots. I used them to create rivets for my jean pocket. The "bandanna" in the pocket is some Martha Stewart paper my son and his fiancee gave me for Christmas. I used a couple of Stampin Up punches to create the "label" on the pocket. The stitching on the "belt loops" is faux stitching provided by Daisyd's.A little brown ribbon provides the belt.
There are lots of great images in this set. Be sure to check them all out at Lindsay's Stamp Stuff. AND....don't forget tomorrow is the big Blog Hop, Birthday Crop, and Super Sale all starting at Lindsay's Blog! Come Shop, Hop, and Crop with all of us!
Mom used another set from Lindsay's Stamp Stuff called Fancy Flowers. She used real eyelets (she never cheats!). Look how pretty the coloring is on her flowers!

And, then, how clever to "tie" the flowers up by running twine through two eyelets. To accent the sentiment, she bordered them with eyelets and put a brad through the holes which gives a little color "pop" to the card!
Happy Monday! Be sure to check back the rest of the week for more great ideas for LSS digital stamps! It's going to be a great week!
Project Recipe

Paper: Core'dinations Vintage Collection CS, Martha Stewart Bandanna Paper Pad, SU Chocoalte Chip CS, Neenah White Classic Solar Crest CS

Stamps: LSS Patriotic Collection Digital Stamp, PTI Star Prints (sentiment)

Tools: SU Window Punch, SU Modern Label Punch, Crop-a-dile

Embellishments: Cloud 9 Metallics Eyelets Rain Dots, DaisyD's stitching, PTI Dark Chocolate Grosgrain ribbon

Let the Sun Shine

If you joined SNS yesterday at the PCP or SNR Digi Day, you got to see some great rainy day projects. But, today the sun is gonna shine! I live in sunny South Texas, so when I saw one of the newest sets released by Sweet N Sassy called Sunshine, I immediately started envisioning warm, sunny days on the lake or at the beach. It may not quite be here yet, but summer is definitely shimmering on my horizon!

Sunshine features four fabulous sentiment in addition to the sun image. I thought the "You shine like the sun" sentiment  and a basket of summer fun goodies would be the perfect way to reward a hardworking student as the school year comes to an end. I placed the sentiment inside the sun image, printed it out, colored it with copics and stickles, and then cut the sun out so I could "pop" it out on the front of my basket. Cute, simple and quick gift giving. Be sure to head over to SNS to see this set and all the newest images. Make a little sunshine yourself today!
Project Recipe

Paper: American Crafts Candy Corn PP, PTI Lemon Tart CS, DCWV Spring Glitter Stack, Neenah Classic Solar Crest White CS

Stamps: SNS Sunshine

Tools: Cuttlebug, Spellbinders Classic Circles Nestabilities dies,  copic markers, Ranger Stickles

Upcoming LSS Blog Hop and Birthday Celebration

It's a birthday party for Lindsay's Stamp Stuff. To celebrate we are going to Hop, Shop & Crop April 13-15. Lindsay will be holding a 3-day crop in the mygrafico crop room. Go on over there now and join (it's free). Over the course of the 3-days you can pop in and out as often as you want to participate in the events and classes, join challenges or just see what is going on. The classes and crops are free. There will be freebies and prizes. 

We also have a blog hop with chances to see some great projects and win some great digi stamps.Each day during the hop, Lindsay will start the hop at her blog and send you around to various members of the design teams. Each team member will have a digi stamp set to give away on her blog that day. Don't miss a minute of the hop!

 

Tips:

• To join the crop, you will need to be a member of the mygrafico community. It's free to join. Join now so you are ready for the crop. (Click HERE to join)
• To join the crop group (after joining mygrafico) click HERE
• If you do not want to receive emails when people comment on the crop, after joining the crop room group, click on the "stop following" button. You are still a member but you won't get all the emails.
• Remember, it is all FREE!

Now, for a little taste of the goodies to come, I've got a little card I made using one of the newest LSS digi stamp sets, Puddle Fun. This is the funnest little set. It's got all these happy rainy day images! I always think of rain as kinda sad and dreary, but NO more!

I decided to keep the card fairly clean and used background embossing instead of background papers to really accent the image. 

 

And, I did some paper piecing on the umbrella (giving my copics the day off!). I matted the image with some Melon Mambo cardstock, added some Melon Mambo ribbon and colored a white flower with my Melon Mambo flower. (Have you heard that Melon Mambo will be taking a permanent place on the Stampin Up Color line-up?) I used my new Viva Decor Pearl Pen to create the pearls on the card. I like how fresh and clean this looks!

Don't forget about the exciting events next week! I'll see you back here for more details, a chance to win, and a special project!

Project Recipe

Paper: SU Sahara Sand and Melon Mambo CS, Neenah Classic Crest White CS

Stamps: LSS Puddle Fun

Tools: Cuttlebug, Argyle embossing folder, Spellbinders Labels 4 Nestabilities, copic markers, SU Color Spritzer tool, SU Melon Mambo marker

Embellishments: Viva Decor Ice White Pearl Pen, white flower, Paper Studio rhinestone brad, SU Melon Mambo ribbon

Big Wish Birthday Cookie

One of my co-workers had a birthday a couple of weeks ago. I made this little fry box to hold the cookies and pulled out some of my favorite My Mind's Eye paper scraps to embellish it. I found that great polka dotted ribbon at Hobby Lobby not really realizing how well it coordinated with my polka dotted papers. Then, I just had to ink up this Verve stamp set. I love how I can add a different color to the letters with my copic markers!
It needed a little something extra, so I used some tissue paper that came in my Verve order and created this tissue paper flower. These have quickly become a favorite embellishment for my projects. I added a button and some jute to the flower's center.
The Verve release is getting closer and the Verve Project Parade Challenge is flowers. Check out all the great projects which have been featured and enter your own flower-filled creation by Midnight April 8th.

Blog Hop Winner

Thank you all so much for your sweet comments yesterday. I had so much fun! I hope you did, too! Without further ado, the winner of my blog hop drawing who will receive Peek-a-boo Sophie is:

#9 Chrisd said...

Sophie looks colored in purple and both of the gateway cards are great!  Contact me at ljurecek@aol.com and I'll make sure you get your digi stamp!

Birthday Bash Blog Hop and Monday with Mom 3

Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday, dear Korin...Happy birthday to you! Big celebration today!The big birthday blog hop is today and if you have just started here, hang on to your hat (your birthday hat, that is!) because the whole Sweet N Sassy design team is celebrating Korin's birthday today. Be sure to visit everyone's blog and the Sweet N Sassy blog. Leave a comment at each stop for a chance to win great digis from Sweet N Sassy.
Here's a look at the adorable digi you could win just by leaving a comment here on my blog.

Isn't she a cutie! This is Peek-a-boo Sophie. Have a closer look at her:

She's popped right out of the flowerpot to wish someone special a very happy birthday! Since it's Monday, Mom and I challenged ourselves to create gatefold cards for this week's Monday with Mom. So, when you open the card there's a birthday sentiment from the Sweet Birthday Wishes set.

Okay, the only digi up for grabs on my site is Peek-a-boo Sophie, but you can get the sentiment which is part of a three sentiment set over at SNS. You can also purchase the digi my mom used for her gatefold card at Sweet N Sassy, too.

Funny how we both created purple cards for this week! We did not plan that, but Mom created a gatefold birthday card for the birthday bash, too! This cute little guy is Fenton Frog from SNS. The sentiment is part of the set.
For your chance to win Peek-a-boo Sophie leave a comment at the bottom of this post. I will pick one winner on Tuesday morning. Be sure to head over to the Sweet N Sassy blog for a free adorable Birthday Hat Cocoa (available today only to everyone who visits) and a  chance to win a SNSS $25 gift certificate, and stop by all the Digi Divas' blogs leaving a comment or a birthday wish for Korin on each blog. Each diva will be giving away the digi she used on her post. Here's the list of participants:

♥ Micki

♥ Sandy

♥ Deedee

♥ Nicole

♥ Korin

♥ Leah

♥ Ceal

♥ Darsie

♥ Janette

♥ Kim

♥ Lorie

♥ Nancy

♥ Julie

♥ Tricia 

 

Okay, I think that about covers it! Korin, hope your birthday is really special! And, I hope you all enjoy the hop! Thanks, Mom, for your beautiful card...can't wait till next week to see what you come up with!

Fresh Squeezed

Oh my, it is a gloriously beautiful afternoon here today! I've spent most of the afternoon reading a really good book by Susan Pfeffer called Life as We Knew It. It was part of my college required reading, but it so happens it was also quite good. I love it when that happens!
I also got to spend some of my day crafting, so I'll share a little something with you. Then, I've got some announcements that might be fun to know about.

The pitcher of lemonade and the sentiment are part of a Sweet 'n Sassy digi stamp set called Make Lemonade. All the profits from the sale of this set goes to the Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation which works to find a cure for children's cancers. With summer fast approaching, this would be a great set to create cards or gifts. I made this drink mix holder to go over the neck of a bottle of water. I added a packet of lemonade mix to the pocket. Be sure to stop by SNS to have a look at this set and contribute to a great cause.
Okay, now for a few announcements:
1.) Lindsay's Stamp Stuff at My Graffico is 25% off through midnight Saturday night. Lindsay's released several great new sets this week. Be sure to head over there to take advantage of the deals and grab up the new stuff!
2.) You can get a great freebie from Sweet 'n Sassy by playing the SNR challenge this weekend. Check out the details HERE.
3.)Monday there will be a special birthday bash for Korin of SNS. Lots of great digi stamp ideas to look at and lots of chances to win some SNS goodies. Be sure to stop back by here on Monday to help us celebrate the big birthday!
Project Recipe

Paper: TAC Gentle Beginnings PP, PTI Berry Sorbet CS, PTI Bitty Box Basic PP, Neenah White Classic Solar Crest CS

Stamps: SNS Make Lemonade

Tools: EK Success 1 3/4 " punch and 2" scalloped circle punch, copic markers

Embellishments: PTI Berry Sorbet Satin Dots ribbon, Paper Studio yellow brads, Ranger yellow Stickles

Tea Time

I'm not sure how coherent this post will be. I had a BAD allergy day and ended up taking a couple of benadryl which has left me very groggy. I'll keep this short so you don't have to listen to my whining or snoring.
That gorgeous cup is from a new set at Lindsay's Stamp Stuff. The digital stamp set is called Tea-riffic. It also comes with a bonus template. There are two other brand new sets in the store. One is called Puddle Fun, and the other is Sew Pretty. Make sure you stop by Lindsay's Shop and check out all the great images including these three new sets.
Okay, my head keeps dropping down to my chest. If I get a chance, I'll pop in later and add all the details for the card. In the meantime, be sure to stop by Lindsay's Blog. She's got a great freebie for you. You don't want to miss out!