40,000+ ! !

Holy smokes, that little counter just turned past 40,000 hits! Oh my word! Thank you all sooooo much for visiting me and my humble blog. I'm smiling ear to ear right now because of you. {{big hugs}} Looks like I need to do some shopping for some BLOG CANDY!! Look for a post by the end of the week, okay?

I won't have anything crafty to show you today because I'm diligently working on my first swap with the Great Swaps Girls and I want to get that done and mailed out. Once all the swaps are done and swapped out by the mods, I'll be sure to post a pic here so you can see. I think these are my first Stampin' Up Only cards that I've EVER made....I think?

Anyhooo...be sure to check back tomorrow though because I'll have a Halloween project to show you that I hope you'll like. It's something different...not a card!

Hope to see you all tomorrow!

Featured Stamper (NikiE) and CCEE

Happy Labor Day! Yesterday's Featured Stamper on SCS was NikiE.

CONGRATULATIONS, Niki. Hope you're having a blast looking at everyone's CASE'ing. You have an awesome gallery!

Here's her card that I chose to CASE. I kept the same layout and number of layers. I used different stamps, ran the ribbon a different way....and used pink DP and pearls so I could play along with the CCEE girls in their weekly challenge.

The card is 4.25" x 5.5". The white panel was run through the Cuttlebug with a Just My Type folder. the pink DP is from SU's Bella Rosa DP. The flowers from Eastern Blooms were stamped in Versamark onto Riding Hood Red CS and then heat embossed with clear EP, cut out, and popped up on dimensionals over the white layer.

Inside of the card: White panel with the same Just My Type design on the left and right sides, a pink Bella Rosa panel, and then another white panel.

RECIPE ~
Stamps: SU Eastern Bloom, SU Hugs and Wishes
Paper: Riding Hood Red, White, Bella Rosa DP, Pink Pirouette
Ink: Versafine Black Onyx, Versamark
Accessories: Clear EP, White Half-Back Pearls, Just My Type Cuttlebug Folder, Riding Hood Red Taffeta Ribbon, Dimensionals
Technique: Heat Embossing, Dry Embossing

Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy what's left of the holiday.

OCC Birthday Challenge

Today's OCC challenge is super easy. Ready for all the details??....make a birthday card. That's it! Make ANY kind of birthday card you'd like. Easy peasy, right?

Hop on over to the OCC blog and check out the cool birthday samples from my fellow OCC girls.

I got this cute WS image a while ago from Sandy, even had it colored and waiting in the file.

...the file...oh I should show you that sometime...my oh-so-professional (NOT!) way of storing PIF'd images, LOL! Anyway, sorry, I got sidetracked there.

The image from "the file" was colored with Prisma Pencils and then blended with baby oil. Today I colored an extra balloon, blended it with Gamsol (because now that I've started working with Gamsol, I do prefer that to blending with baby oil), cut it out, and popped it up on dimensionals over the base layer. I added some red rhinestones over some of the pieces of confetti, glued them down with a small drop of Crystal Effects.

I stamped four candles from my Hero Arts Cupcake set in the lower left-hand corner on the inside of the card, colored them with Prisma Pencils, and blended them with Gamsol too. The card wasn't made with anyone in particular in mind. My 3-year-old will have lots of classmates turning 4 this year though, so I'm sure it'll be put to use in another couple months or so.

...and lookie here....what is this??...could that be a stamped envelope?! Yepper!! ...just for you, Nicole. hehe! Now, I doubt I'll do this all the time, but I just couldn't resist making one today...just for you! :)

RECIPE ~
Stamps: Whipper Snapper Birthday Bear, Hero Arts Cupcakes, SU Hugs and Wishes
Paper: Real Red, Ballet Blue, White
Ink: Perm Black
Accessories: Real Red Striped Ribbon, Red Rhinestones, Prisma Pencils, Gamsol/Baby Oil, Crystal Effects, Dimensionals
Technique: Gamsol Magic

Enjoy your holiday weekend!

Something old, new, borrowed, and blue

Judy thought of a really fun challenge for today's LSC on SCS...make a card using something old, something new, something borrowed (with credit where credit is due), and something blue.

Okay, here's my list:

Something Old: SU Natural Beauty
Something New: My new Leafy Branch Cuttlebug Folder
Something Borrowed: I l-o-v-e the way Jami (sgtstamper) twisted the cord and ran it along two sides of her card seen HERE. Have you seen Jami's gallery?? She's incredibly inspiring! I was at the dentist yesterday for my 6-month cleaning and saw an ad in a magazine of a bedroom decorated in blue and orange, so that's where I got the idea for the color combo.
Something Blue: Ballet Blue Cardstock

I already had the butterflies colored and cut out from a card I made last month. There are two of them on this card, layered on top of one another with dimensionals. They were stamped in Versafine Black Onyx onto Fabriano Watercolor Paper, watercolored with reinkers/ink pads, and then I added some Stickles on the lines on the butterflies.

The flower was stamped in Versafine Black Onyx onto white Georgia Pacific CS, colored with reinkers, cut out with an oval Nestabilities die, and then Stickles were added. The scallop ovals are also Nestabilities. The white oval and the Ballet Blue oval are each up on separate layers of dimensionals. I ran two 4" x 5.25" panels through my Leafy Branch Cuttlebug Folder, one Ballet Blue and one White, cut the White one from corner-to-corner, and then glued it over the Ballet Blue panel.

Inside of the card: Ballet Blue mat, White mat, and then some of the leftover white Cuttlebug pattern was added to the lower left corner.

RECIPE ~
Stamps: SU Natural Beauty
Paper: Basic Black, Georgia Pacific White, Fabriano Watercolor Paper, Ballet Blue
Ink: Versafine Black Onyx, Tangerine Tango, Marigold Morning, Pumpkin Pie, Wild Wasabi
Accessories: Orange and Yellow Stickles, Oval and Scallop Oval Nestabilities, Black Brads, Gold Cord, Leafy Branch Cuttlebug Folder, Dimensionals
Technique: Watercoloring with Reinkers, Dry Embossing

Real quick before I sign off for today, I wanted to let you know about a special Customer Points Program that Jessica from There She Goes is offering. You can check out all the cool details HERE!

Hope you have an awesome Friday. Be sure to check back tomorrow for another fun OCC challenge.

Sunday's Featured Stamper - kokirose

Hi everyone! Okay, here we go....combining challenges here.

Sunday's Featured Stamper was Patricia (kokirose)! Love her gallery! There were several cards that I already had in my favorites, but HERE is her card that I CASE'd. Love her stamp choice, the pearls, scallops, swiss dots folder, and dimension on the flower so I kept all that. I changed the colors to the ones in today's color challenge #CC181 on SCS, which was to use Rose Red, Basic Black and Kraft. I moved the pearls and sentiment around, left off the script background (only because I don't have it), and left off the ribbon. I used my Martha Stewart border punch too.

The flower was stamped three times, and all three blooms were layered on top of one another with dimensionals. The leaves were stamped twice and layered with dimensionals. The inside of the card has the bee from the Bloomin' Beautiful set stamped in the lower left corner.

RECIPE ~
Stamps: SU Bloomin' Beautiful, Gina K Kindred Sentiments for Her
Paper: Kraft, Basic Black, White, Rose Red Designer Prints
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Rose Red, Always Artichoke
Accessories: Swiss Dots Cuttlebug Folder, White Half-Backed Pearls, Oval and Scallop Oval Nestabilities, Rectangle and Scallop Rectangle Nestabilities, Dimensionals, Martha Stewart Border Punch, Word Window Punch
Technique: Watercoloring (with inkpads and a regular watercolor brush), Dry Embossing, Paper Tole

The other day, Nicole (have you seen her awesome jewelry?!...Wow!) asked me if I stamp my envelopes. Every now and then I do...but for the most part, no I don't. I don't know why, I love it when I receive a stamped envelope so why the heck don't I do it?? I recently made my mom a stack of 20 assorted cards though, and I did include a matching stamped enveloped for each of the cards I made for her. Maybe Nicole has inspired me to start making matching envelopes more often? {smile}

Hope you're all having a really great day!

Our Creative Corner - Color Challenge

Today, Dawn is challenging everyone to make a card using Ruby Red, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, and optional Chocolate Chip. Fun fall colors!

Be sure to check out the challenge on the Our Creative Corner blog....and play along with us. We love when you do!

My card is 4.75" x 4.75" square. I followed one of Julee's Anni-VERVE-sary sketches. The Fresh Cuts image was stamped in Pumpkin Pie and then I added some Martha Stewart orange glitter pen to the stems. Did you know that WalMart now carries Martha Stewart products?? I picked up the orange flowers at Joanne's last week. The middle flower (the one in the corner) is up on two layers of 3-D glue dots. I'm attaching a picture of the inside of the card too.

RECIPE ~
Stamps: SU Fresh Cuts
Paper: Ruby Red, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive
Ink: Pumpkin Pie
Accessories: PTI Dark Chocolate Satin Ribbon, Brown Brads, Martha Stewart Glitter Marker Set, Paper Piercing Tool & Mat Pack from SU, 3-D Glue Dots
Technique: Paper Piercing

Hope you're all enjoying your weekend so far!

There She Goes DT

Hi everyone! Remember my post a couple days ago about Jessica Knutsen's new stamps??...well, she asked me to join her design team!! I won't be starting until November because of some other commitments (...and no I'm not telling what they are, LOL!...you'll find out soon though.) but I'm super excited to be working with her and the rest of the team she's pulled together.

Be sure to check out her blog HERE to see the DT announcement and to view her gorgeous stamps. Don't forget, today is the last day to preorder her sets at the special price. Her store website will go live on September 1st. :)

I won't have anything crafty to show you today...DH and I are headed to Philly this afternoon. We're going to grab an early dinner somewhere and then to see Kid Rock and Lynard Skynard!!

Be sure to check back tomorrow though for the Our Creative Corner Challenge. Dawn has another fun challenge in store for us!

Enjoy your day!

Meet Mike

Don't ya just wanna hug him?!! This is Bundled Up Mike, he's one of my newest stamps from Whipper Snapper. My order just came yesterday. Yay!

I followed today's SCS Sketch Challenge #SC190 for the layout, and went with today's colors from the girls on the Color Throwdown blog (Ballet Blue, Bashful Blue and Apricot Appeal). As soon as I saw Ballet Blue and Apricot Appeal were two of the colors, I said, "I'm there!" These are two of my most favorite SU colors.

Mike was colored with Copic markers (number are noted below in the recipe), then I added some two way glue on the ground and heat embossed it with Irridescent Ice embossing powder. The round brads are white sugar-coated/sparkly brads. The white snowflake brads were heat embossed with the two-way glue and Irridescent Ice EP as well. The Bashful Blue scallop circle is up on dimensionals and so is the scalloped oval behind the sentiment. The inside of the card has a snowflake stamped in the lower left corner in Ballet Blue.

RECIPE ~
Stamps: Whipper Snapper Bundled Up Mike, Verve Starlight Starbright Remixed (sentiment), Impression Obsession Snowflakes CL144 Clear Stamps
Paper: Papertrey Select White, Ballet Blue, Apricot Appeal, Bashful Blue, Georgia Pacific White
Ink: Adirondak Black, Ballet Blue
Copics: Colorless Blender-0, Cool Gray-C1, Warm Gray-W3, Light Pink-RV21, Powder Pink-YR00, Phthalo Blue-B23, Pale Blue-B32
Accessories: Sugar-Coated White Brads, White Snowflake Brads, Irridescent Ice EP, 2-way Glue, Circle and Scallop Circle Nestabilities, Oval and Scallop Oval Nestabilities, Dimensionals, Cuttlebug Snowflake Folder
Technique: Dry Embossing, Heat Embossing
Card Size: 5" x 5" Square

So how am I doing with the copics?? If you see something I could do differently to improve, *please* let me know.

Enjoy your day!

Today's color combo and other cool schtuff!

Hey everyone! Before I get into the details of today's card, I want to mention a couple COOL things that I think you might be interested in...

First, for those of you who participate in SCS challenges, you know Jessica (knutsen24) on SCS....talented, always leaves sweet comments for everyone, and she's the one with that avatar that cracks me up every time I see it, LOL! Anyhooo...she just started her own stamp company....and let me tell ya, her new stamps are GORGEOUS!! You can even preorder her stamps right now at a DISCOUNTED price. Check out her blog HERE for all the details. You won't be sorry you did. :)

Also, if you own the new JustRite monogram stampers....they're running a contest right now that sounds pretty cool. You can check out the details HERE. They're giving away PRIZES!! :)

Okay, so onto my card for today's SCS Color Challenge (Ruby Red, Close to Cocoa, and Blush Blossom). I also used Jen Del Muro's Sketch For You To Try for the layout. Cool sketch! I'm always drawn to "block" sketches like this. :)

I stamped the party dress in Close to Cocoa classic ink onto Blush Blossom CS, White CS, and Ruby Red CS. I cut out the Ruby bodice and the White skirt, and then popped them both up on dimensionals over the one on the Blush Blossom panel. I inked up my Pretty Petals background stamp with Blush Blossom Classic Ink and then "thumped" a Close to Cocoa marker all over the rubber before stamping onto the CS. I added some clear Sakura sparkle pen to the white skirt.

I stamped some more Pretty Petals on the inside of the card, again with the "thumping" (love that word) technique, vertically along the left and right sides.

RECIPE ~
Stamps: SU Pretty Petals, Impression Obsession Large Party Dress X4047, Rubber Stampede 3772D Time To Celebrate
Paper: Close to Cocoa, Ruby Red, Blush Blossom, Georgia Pacific White
Ink: Close to Cocoa, Blush Blossom
Accessories: White Fabric Flowers, Brown Half-Backed Pearls, White Grosgrain Ribbon from SU, Dimensionals, Sakura Clear Sparkle Pen
Technique: Thumping, Paper Piecing
Card Size: 5" x 5" Square

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you enjoy your day!

Featured Stamper - knightrone (Jessie!)

I'm so excited to see that Jessie (knightrone) has been picked for today's featured stamper challenge.

You can see her gallery HERE and her blog HERE.

CONGRATULATIONS, Jessie! I think you're pretty fabulous so I picked one of your cards using the Fabulous Flowers set. I picked this one HERE to CASE.

I kept your same layout (just moved the sentiment to the right), used the same stamp set and embossed the three layers of flowers, and kept the same number of layers. I just changed the colors, DP, and used antique brass hardware instead of silver. I hope you have an awesome day today crusing the galleries and blogs. Have a blast!!

I stamped the flower three times in Colorbox white and then heat embossed with white embossing powder. I cut out the flowers in different sizes like Jessie did, put them all together with the brass brads, and then popped the largest flower up on dimensionals. The Chocolate Chip square mat behind the flowers is up on dimensionals as well. The sentiment was stamped in Versamark, heat embossed with white embossing powder, and popped up on dimensionals too.

The piercing up in the right corner was done with an Ornare piercing template. My friend Lori (LMcAree) bought it for me as a gift when we went to OC in May. You can buy them at Ellen Hutson's store. Cool little tool! The hardware in the center of the flowers are the brads from SU's Hodgepodge Hardware set. The hardware next to the sentiment is from Michael's, in the jewelry aisle. They're glued down to the paper with a very small dot of crystal effects.

RECIPE ~
Stamps: SU Fabulous Flowers
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White, Bella Rosa DP
Ink: Versamark, Colorbox White
Accessories: PTI Dark Chocolate Ribbon, Antique Brass Hardware from Michael's, SU Hodgepodge Hardware Brads in Antique Brass, Crystal Effects, Dimensionals, White Embossing Powder, Ornare Piercing Template
Technique: Heat Embossing, Paper Piercing
Card Size: 5" x 5" Square

Hope you're all enjoying your weekend!

Our Creative Corner Challenge - Sketch #2

Hi everyone! For today's challenge on Our Creative Corner, Dawn has another sketch for everyone...and you can check out the sketch by clicking HERE.

My card is a 4" x 4" square card. The brown scalloped paper is one of the prints from SU's Afternoon Tea and the cream colored panel that the Happy Thanksgiving is stamped on is from the Fall Harvest Mat Pack DP that I picked up at Michael's. You probably can't see it in the picture, but this cream panel has a faint wheat print on it. The Happy Thanksgiving was stamped in Versamark and then heat embossed with Brown EP. All of the leaves are from SU's Autumn Harvest set. They were watercolored with Really Rust, Marigold Morning and Basic Brown Reinkers, cut out, and popped up on dimensionals. I glued down another square panel of the wheat printed DP to the inside of the card, and added one more watercolored leaf down in the lower left corner. See it peeking out at ya in the pic? :)

Wanna do some blog hopping and see the samples from my fellow OCC girls? Here are links to all their blogs: Amy, Cindy, Dawn, Jennifer, Laurie, and Lynda.

Don't forget to also check out Julee Tillman's blog. She's our special guest designer this month!

RECIPE ~
Stamps: Inkadinkadoo Harvest Expressions Clear Stamps, SU Autumn Harvest
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Really Rust, Afternoon Tea DP, K&Company Fall Harvest Mat Pack DP
Ink: Versamark, Marigold Morning, Basic Brown, Really Rust
Accessories: Chocolate Embossing Powder from Cornish Heritage Farms, Brown Sparkly Brads, Brown Satin Ribbon, Dimensionals, Scallop Edge Punch from SU
Technique: Heat Embossing, Watercoloring with Reinkers

Hope you enjoy your day!

Friendly Scarecrow

Just playing with more Whipper Snapper images that I got from the PIF thread (thanks Leslie!!) and the K & Company DP from Michael's. This image is called Friendly Scarecrow.

Someone PM'd me yesterday asking about the PIF (that stands for "pay it forward") thread and how to find the current one. I'm sorry, I should have mentioned the current round for those wanting to look into it, and I'll try to do that from now on when I post images I've received there. :) The PIF threads can be found on SCS under Swaps and then under Everything Else. You'll see several rounds listed. As of right now, they are on Round #51 and you can see that thread by clicking HERE. Another way to tell which round is active is to go into the Swaps/Everything Else Forum and look at which one is at the top of the thread. Because it's so active with chatting, it's usually at the top. You can also then click on "Last Page", go to the last reply, and as long as you don't see a note stating that the round is closed, you're good to go! It's a great way to try out images before buying them! The girls are really nice in there too and will help you with the "rules". Pssstt...they LOVE newbies!

Oh, and I saw a message from Gigi under my Crafty Secrets post the other day asking if I knew about any cute Halloween images for ornery boys. Gigi, personally I think THIS ONE and THIS ONE are pretty cute! :) Hope that helps??

Okay, so onto my card.....have I dressed my scarecrow funny with the purple pants? hehe! He was colored with prisma pencils and gamsol, and then I added the halo effect with a Warm Gray Copic marker (W-1).

RECIPE ~
Stamps: Whipper Snapper Friendly Scarecrow
Paper: Basic Black, Georgia Pacific White, PTI Plum Pudding, K&Company Fall Harvest
Ink: Perm Black, W-1 Warm Gray Copic, Prisma Pencils
Accessories: PTI Plum Pudding Stitched Ribbon, Gamsol
Technique: Gamsol Magic
Card Base: 4.25" x 5.5"

If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask. :) I just got the new SU catty yesterday (thanks to my awesome friend, Silke!) so I'm off to place my order!

Fall Fun Kitty

Don't you just love Whipper Snapper Designs? This one is called Fall Fun Kitty, and I got the image on the PIF Forum on SCS. The PIF forum can be found under the Swaps Forum and then under Everything Else.

I colored most of the image using prisma pencils and Gamsol, then I added the halo using a #W-3 Warm Gray Copic marker and filled in the shadows behind the leaves with a #E49 Dark Bark Copic marker. I added a little clear Sakura sparkle pen to the leaves too.

The card started out as one of Julee Tillman's Anni-Verve-sary Sketches (Sketch #9)....but with the size of the kitty image and not having room for the three circle elements, it went a whole different direction....and actually looks more like one of the sketches I used for this month's Fan Club gallery on SCS...which will be opened this Friday by the way. :) The Tangerine panel behind the kitty is up on dimensionals.

The inside of the card includes a 4.75" x 4.75" Tangerine Tango panel with a thin strip of the Fall Harvest DP (the yellow print) vertically along the left side.

RECIPE~
Stamps: Whipper Snapper Fall Fun Kitty, SU Season by Season (sentiment)
Paper: Georgia Pacific White, Chocolate Chip, Tangerine Tango, K&Company Fall Harvest Mat Pad #625464 from Michael's
Ink: Versafine Black Onyx, Timber Brown StazOn, W-3 Warm Gray Copic, E49 Dark Bark Copic, Prisma Pencils
Accessories: Halloween Orandy Ribbon from Michael's, Dimensionals, Gamsol, Clear Sakura Sparkle Pen
Technique: Gamsol Magic
Card Size: 5" x 5" Square

Enjoy your day!

Featured Stamper - Blondie090277

I've been dealing with a killer migraine and nausea for almost two days....finally feel better today so I got to do some stamping again, YAY!

Have you seen today's Featured Stamper on SCS? It's Kim (Blondie090277) and, WOW, she has an awesome gallery! Congratulations on being today's FS, Kim!

There were several cards that I wanted to CASE, but I chose her Accessories Card.

I kept the same basic layout, I just angled the sentiment panel and ribbon. I also kept the same fashion theme with the purse and shoe at the bottom, I just used my new Diva-Lish stamps from Unity. Kim used Stickles on her shoe and purse, I used some Pink Smoothie glitter from Art Institute Glitter...very sparkly! I also changed out the brads for some pink Swarovski crystals and added the silhouette (my favorite stamp from the Diva-Lish set) behind the Legally Diva sentiment.

The Legally Diva panel is up on a layer of dimensionals. I glued down a piece of Regal Rose CS to the inside of the card and stamped another purse in the lower right corner.

RECIPE~
Stamps: Diva-Lish from Unity Stamp Company
Paper: Papertrey Select White, Basic Black, Regal Rose
Ink: Versafine Black Onyx
Accessories: Pink Smoothie Ultrafine Transparent Glitter from AIG, Dries Clear Adhesive from AIG, Pink Swarovski Crystals, Pink Sparkly Ribbon, Dimensionals
Card Base: 4.25" x 5.5"

Hope you're enjoying your weekend!