Wanna Sketch: You're Boo-Tastic!

Just a quick card for this morning - I got the cutest Halloween set from Mama Elephant.  It's called Bootastic and is full of charming little Halloween characters.  I was following Lisa's sketch at dahlhouse designs so I put two of the cute characters together holding the broom.

Speaking of two cute characters - check out my two characters at their first marching band show last night.  This is the first year for the little one - he's actually an 8th grader but is allowed to march in the high school band.  The big one kept looking away from me so no good picture of him - he's a marching fanatic!!

• Stamps: Mama Elephant Bootastic
• Paper: white
• Ink: Memento black, Copics
• Accessories: Lil' Inkers Stitched Rectangles, MME Enamel Dots

Fab Friday: Truly Grateful

I had one of those wonderful Wednesday afternoons that I get to have once or twice a month - playing in a friend's craft room who has more "schtfuff" than I do!!  She hauls out stamps and supplies that are appropriate for the season and since she is a Fall/Halloween fanatic, we had plenty of fall colors surrounding us! (Check out the name of one of her blogs - A Nostalgic Halloween.)

She had gorgeous sample cards using paper adhered to coaster board for great dimensional diecuts and the negatives, so this card is definitely inspired by Kris.


I used the current sketch from Fab Friday.

Well, I finished up one of my class papers yesterday.  I'll finish the last few things in that class and submit that paper this morning - one down!  I have the research done for another paper but I am having a tough time getting started simply because I am completely uninterested in the topic.  I have until Sunday at midnight, but I was truly hoping to be done before that to have some break before the next classes start on Monday. So I'm posting this and then settling in in front of the computer - only coming up for air to get the kids up and off to school and then for the first high school football game (and more importantly marching band performance) tonight.  Fingers crossed it goes fast! I'd love a weekend of relaxed crafting before next week begins!

• Stamps: Stampin' Up Wonderfall, Truly Grateful (sentiment)
• Paper: Stampin' Up Crushed Curry, Sahara Sand, Sweater Weather dsp
• Ink: Stampin' Up Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate Chip
• Accessories: Stampin' Up Wonderfall Sizzix die, Houndstooth embossing folder, coaster board, Pumpkin Pie Chevron ribbon, Avery Elle sequins

CAS(E) this Sketch! love & kisses

It's time for a new sketch at CAS(E) this Sketch!.  For some reason this simple sketch gave me headaches.  I think it's the placement of those two little buttons in the center.  I wanted to put them near the top or the bottom, but I challenged myself to make it work. (That's why they call these challenges!!!)

I just got the Paper Smooches set We Connect.  It's a set of love words and three fun ampersands (plus dies).  I got the entire set for the ampersands.  Sad, huh?  So I figured I had better use the words right away so they actually see ink!



And look...my embellies are in the middle - just where they are in the sketch!

I guarantee that the rest of the design team didn't have much trouble with the sketch as there are amazing cards in the gallery.  Check it out at CAS(E) this Sketch! then be sure to play along!

(I'm also submitting this to the Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes challenge.)

• Stamps: Paper Smooches We Connect, Art Impressions Lips
• Paper: Papertrey Ink Smokey Shadow, Simple Stories 24/7 dsp
• Ink: Papertrey Ink Smokey Shadow, Pure Poppy
• Accessories: Papertrey Ink Fine Linen button, MME enamel dots, Divine Twine Black Licorice

Merry Monday: Happy(?) or Stressed Out Holidays

I ran into Michaels last night for a bottle of Zip Dry glue with my coupon and this owl stamp jumped into my hands!!  His bugged-out eyes look just like mine during the lead-up to the holidays!!


I used the current sketch from Merry Monday.

I'm also submitting to Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes.

Just a quick post today - I'm still working on the final papers that I mentioned a few days ago.  They are going well - but they are just so big (and I'm just so obsessive) I'm sure I will take until the last minute to finish them up (Sunday by midnight).

• Stamps: Stampendous Owl Tree, Simon Says Stamp Small Folded Banners Holiday
• Paper: Papertrey Ink Dark Chocolate
• Ink: Memento Black, Copics
• Accessories: Simon Says Stamp banner dies, Martha Stewart twine, Stampin' Up embossing folder

Rockwell's Pantone Color Challenge: Linen

I have missed a couple of colors in Jackie Rockwell's Pantone Color Challenge.  I'm definitely going to go back and pick them up - all of them stay open until September 22!  But this week's linen color really caught my eye.  It's not easy to do an entire card in linen but I thought it would work for a classic sympathy card.

Jackie's giving away a free blog header to one person who plays along with her challenges.  Check out my blog - it's Jackie's work - and I LOVE it!!

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted Butterfly Additions, CD Stamps Easter Blessings (sentiment)
• Paper: Papertrey Fine Linen
• Ink: Papertrey Fine Linen
• Accessories: Clearly Besotted Butterfly Die, May Arts twine, Tim Holtz Embossing folder, misc sequins

AEI{heart}U with Avery Elle: Oh Happy Day

The challenge at Avery Elle has a long sentiment panel and since I just got their Oh Happy Day set, I knew that I had to play along!


I really like the script on the sentiment - it's light and airy with just enough frills to be fun but not cutesy. There are eight long sentiments in the set along with those little flowers, birds and even an arrow.  

It's finals week for me this week.  I'm not going to say that I won't be making many cards because I think I may need to come up for air every so often and play with colors and patterns and sequins! I have a 10 page paper to write in a Business Ethics class on an idea for corporate ethics reform.  If anybody has any ideas - let me know.  I am really struggling with the fact that many of these white collar criminals don't need the money they are stealing - I think they simply have gigantic egos and believe they are better than the rest of us.  So I'm just not sure how to reform the system because there really aren't any new rules or any type of  punishment that is going to stop a big ego.  These criminals simply do not think they are going to be caught.  (I've also been struggling with the idea of the class the whole term.  Business ethics classes are now required but I figure you either have ethics or you don't - a class isn't going to change that!)  My second paper is in Intermediate Accounting - comparing the financial statements for Pepsi and Coke in 2007.  Which would you have guessed is the biggest?  I would definitely have said Coke - but Pepsi had 10 billion more in sales.  (That includes all of their subsidiaries too).  Are you bored yet?  Me too!!!!
The fun stuff...

• Stamps: Avery Elle Oh Happy Day
• Paper: Papertrey Ink Smokey Shadow, Echo Park Splash 6x6 pad
• Ink: Papertrey Ink Simply Chartreuse, Stampin' Up Strawberry Slush, Blushing Bride, Summer Sun, Pumpkin Pie
• Accessories: Divine Twine Black Licorice

My Favorite Things: A very special BOO to you!

This is my second Halloween card this week.  It seems a little early...but they each worked perfectly for their respective challenges.  In this case, I am playing along with the sketch challenge at My Favorite Things.  It has a nice border strip - perfect for the fun trick-or-treat star border from this set. Plus, it gives me the chance to tell you that the coordinating pumpkin dies are on sale at MFT for $2.50 instead of $10 (the stamps are still full price). There are a bunch of other stamps and dies on sale right now for 50-75% off!!

• Stamps: My Favorite Things Primitive Pumpkins
• Paper: Papertrey Ink Smokey Shadow, Orange Zest, Doodlebug Designs Halloween Parade
• Ink: Papertrey Ink Smokey Shadow, Orange Zest, Soft Stone
• Accessories: My Favorite Things Primitive Pumpkins dies and Fishtail dies, white embossing powder, Hemptiques bright twine

Catered Crop: I am HERE!!

This week at Catered Crop, we are having a Map It Recipe Swap.

I decided that I needed to go shopping for this one.  I just had to head over to Archivers and I picked up map paper and compass charms.  I knew that I had sailboats and pirate ships and race cars - all of which could go with a map.

Then I had a brainstorm - I don't have those very often.  I am good at following trends and getting ideas from other brilliant crafters, but in general, if a challenge says "map", my card has a "map"!!  I saw a set of stamps with little houses that looked like they were drawn by a child - and a whole different type of map popped into my head.



This is most definitely a very important type of map!!
I hope to see you play along!

• Stamps: Amy Tangerine Hey There, sentiment is computer generated
• Paper: Stampin' Up Smoky Slate, Real Red, Simple Stories diagonal red
• Ink: Papertrey Ink Soft Stone, Hero Arts Soft Granite, Stampin' Up Smokey Slate
• Accessories: Basic Grey Carte Postale Wood Die cuts (coated with red tinsel embossing powder), My Favorite Things fishtail dies and Snowdrifts die, Stampin' Up snowflake sizzlit, Cuttlebug embossing folder, Martha Stewart Crystal Fine Glitter

CAS(E) this Sketch! BOO!

It's time for another sketch at CAS(E) this Sketch!  I am going very literal this time as I just purchased a set of Halloween speech bubbles from Hero Arts and I got these little eyes from Papertrey AND I got the Peek-a-Boo chevron die from My Favorite Things AND I got the chocolate sequins from Ellen Hutson!  Whew! Let's all do a NBUS happy dance!!!  (Never Before Used Schtuff!)

Just a few more details.  

1. The little ghost is from Papertrey Ink but it's last year's ghost from the Happy Haunting set (not this year's polka dot ghost).  I had the die from last year but didn't have the stamp set.  As I was loading the new ghost into my cart last week, I decided I probably should get last year's set instead to go with my die - so old set...new to me!  
2. The Hero Arts set is older.  It's called Scary and is currently 40% off at Ellen Hutson's store.  
3. The sequins are also from Ellen Hutson and are going to be my favorite for Halloween.  They are actually the Iridescent Chocolate sequins but the iridescence flashes purples, blues and greens!
4. The chevron dies are my favorite thing from the most recent release at My Favorite Things.  The set comes with different lengths and spacing.  

I hope you all play along this week.  Remember...this sketch is for inspiration...it doesn't need to be a speech bubble!!

• Stamps: Papertrey Ink Happy Haunting, Hero Arts Scary
• Paper: Papertrey Ink Limeade Ice, Orange Zest, Black
• Ink: black
• Accessories: Papertrey Ink Happy Haunting, My Favorite Things Peek-a-Boo Chevrons, Martha Stewart Crystal Fine Glitter, Ellen Hutson Iridescent Chocolate sequins

Clearly Besotted: With Love

I finally have stamps from Clearly Besotted.  I don't know what has taken me so long - they are truly lovely.  I used their feather set here and for today I am using Blooming Marvelous (which also has a great sunflower for all) and Butterfly Wishes Additions (you have to love a gingham butterfly).


My card uses the colors from the current challenge over on the Clearly Besotted Blog.

I'm heading out soon for coffee with a dear lady who has had a rough year culminating with the loss of her garden in a hailstorm last week.  These aren't the types of flowers we grow here in Parker, Colorado, but I think these cheerful colors will be just perfect for a pick-me-up card!

• Stamps: Clearly Besotted Blooming Marvelous, Butterfly Wishes Additions
• Paper: Papertrey Ink Soft Stone
• Ink: Stampin' Up Pistachio Pudding, Hero Arts Soft Cantaloupe, Memento Lady Bug, Papertrey Ink Lavender Moon and Smokey Slate
• Accessories: Clearly Besotted Blooming Marvelous and Butterfly dies, My Favorite Things Fishtail dies and Fancy Flourish, Lifestyle Crafts embossing folder, Hemptique 10-lb twine from Bright multi-pack

Happy Birthday Lil' Inkers: Bunches of Birthday Wishes

Lil' Inkers Designs is hosting a third birthday celebration!  Happy Birthday Lil' Inkers!!  There are lots of prizes just for creating a birthday card from an inspiration photo.

I have used some of my favorite Lil' Inkers products - the Stitched Circle dies and the Balloon Builders stamp sets and dies.  The balloons are really cute - different shapes and patterns - they make it so easy to make a cheerful birthday card!  Lil' Inkers has so many great products that would work for birthdays - really cute party hat dies and stitched bow dies - ALL on my wishlist!

• Stamps: Lil' Inkers Balloon Builders
• Paper: Stampin' Up Island Indigo, Poppy Parade, My Mind's Eye Hip-Hooray Boy dsp
• Ink: Stampin' Up Poppy Parade, Crushed Curry, Soft Sky, Distress Inks Broken China
• Accesories: Lil' Inkers Balloon Dies, Stitched Mats: Circles, MME Ginger Twine

Paper Players with Sunday Stamps: Now and Always

I'm using a couple of new stamp sets, one of which is a set to create plaids so I had to go out and hunt down the prettiest color challenge that I could find - The Paper Players.  Then I wanted a simple sketch to show off the stamped plaid - Sunday Stamps.

The plaid set is very fun to work with.  A few of the stamps are single stripes and a few come in groups so it doesn't take long to put together a plaid background.  I have a lot of patterned paper but more often than not it seems overwhelming to page through it finding a match.  Now I can make my own!!

I had some exciting news yesterday - I get to guest over at Paper Smooches in September.  This just proves that NBUS works (thanks Darnell) because what really happened is that I had gotten a large order from Paper Smooches a couple of weeks ago and swore that I would use them all before they went into "the box" so the last few weeks have been heavy on Paper Smooches on my blog!!  Of course, and this won't surprise the truly addicted, I have another new order coming from Paper Smooches because I had to buy lots more stuff that would help me make great cards with the sets that I am getting free!  Sad, isn't it??

• Stamps: My Favorite Things Grand Greetings, Plaid Background Builder
• Paper: white
• Ink: Stampin' Up Strawberry Slush, Crisp Cantaloupe, Pear Pizzazz
• Accessories: Papertrey Ink buttons: Raspberry Fizz, Melon Berry, New Leaf

CAS(E) this Sketch: You're a Super Star!

This is my second post today.

Curtain Call is just a post away!

It's time for a new sketch at CAS(E) this Sketch!  It's definitely a good one for letting your creativity and imagination run wild!

I ended up turning it into a square card.  I wanted to use that center die cut which reminds me of a marquee with neon lights all around it and it just wasn't quite big enough for a full-sized card.

I hope to see you playing along!!

• Stamps: The Alley Way Stamps Admin One (you're a), Reel Time (Super Star), Good Point (arrows)
• Paper: Astrobrights Glow Cardstock multipack
• Ink: Hero Arts Neon Purple and Neon Blue
• Accessories: Avery Elle Royal and Caribbean sequins, Taylored Expressions Impression Plate, Spellbinders Twisted Metal Tags & Accents

Curtain Call: You Make My World Go Round

It's time for more inspiration from Curtain Call!!

The new challenge is called Carnival Craze.

The sponsor for this challenge is Lawn Fawn and The Lead gets their choice of a stamp set!!  The Curtain Call design team is playing with two Lawn Fawn sets that fit this challenge: Blue Skies (which includes hot air balloons, clouds and banners) and I get to play with Admit One (merry-go-rounds and ferris wheels and cotton candy!)


Isn't this just the sweetest ferris wheel?  You should see the cute little merry-go-round in the same set!
You have until August 25th to be inspired and to create something for Carnival Craze.  I would love to see you play along!  And if you want all of the design team cards, inspiration and the winners in one place - but sure to follow the Curtain Call boards on Pinterest!
This is also most definitely a summer card - I don't typically do summery cards simply because I really hate being hot, so summer is not my favorite time.  But as it is actually a summer card - I'm going to link it up over at Addicted to CAS also! 

• Stamps: Lawn Fawn Admit One
• Paper: Melon Mambo
• Ink: Memento Black, Copics, Versamark
• Accessories: Lawn Fawn Admit One dies, Lawn Fawn Pink Lemonade cord, Memory Box Carnival Tickets die, My Favorite Things Fishtail die, Papertrey Ink Sunshine Impression Plate

Color Throwdown: Happy Birthday Feathers

I recently broke down and bought two different feather sets.  Then...even though I just purchased those...I had to get the truly cute feathers that just came out from WPlus9.  It's a truly fun set with great patterns and also coordinating dies!  The colors from color throwdown were just begging to be used on these funky feathers!


Plus, I had just organized my Stampin' Up inks (all 113 of them) and I knew that I still had the old color Pixie Pink so I couldn't miss this challenge!!

• Stamps: WPlus9 Fanciful Feathers, Strictly Sentiments 1
• Paper: Papertrey Ink Soft Stone
• Ink: Stampin' Up Turquoise, Melon, Pacific, Tangerine and Pixie, Distress Ink Pumice Stone
• Accessories: WPlus9 Fanciful Feathers die, The Twinery Pink Sorbet

Seize the Sketch: You're a Star!

This is my second card for the very first sketch at Seize the Sketch.  I love the fun look of the diagonal lines.  This card came about because, as I was organizing a craft drawer, I found the roll of film washi hiding under my desk!!  And...the icing on the cake was this Bold Statements set by My Favorite Things that was stashed in my NBUS box (Never Before Used Schtuff)!

This was a double challenge for me because I do not do gold but I am seeing that it is trendy right now. I like it on other people's card but every time that I try to use it, it seems "heavy".   I really didn't have a choice on this card though, did I?  Film strip, star...it was crying out for gold!

• Stamps: My Favorite Things Bold Statements
• Paper: Stampin' Up Black and Gold
• Ink: Versamark
• Accessories: Washi Tapes: Queen & Co film strip and Pebbles black patterns, Stamp 'n Stuff Starry Nights embossing powder, My Favorite Things Speech Bubble Frame die, misc sequins

CAS on Sunday and a Fab Friday: Thx for being Wonderful

I know that I had said yesterday that I had finished my using my entire Paper Smooches order - and I had.  But when I started thinking about a card with a tag for CAS on Sunday and the sweet colors at Fab Friday, I knew that I was going to pull out another Paper Smooches set - Reflections.


I love these fun flowers.  They are a little bit funky (but not too much) and add a sweet touch to every card.  The dies make it so easy - although be warned, there are three sets of dies that coordinate with the set!

• Stamps: Paper Smooches Reflections, Many Thanks
• Paper: Stampin' Up Crumb Cake, Crisp Cantaloupe dsp
• Ink: Stampin' Up Crumb Cake, Crisp Cantaloupe, Pistachio Pudding, So Saffron
• Accessories: Paper Smooches Reflections dies, Papertrey Ink Tag Sale 3, Frayed Burlap Distress Stickles, Timeless Twine Krazy for Kraft, misc sequins

Catered Crop: Have a Ball with Sequins

The current "recipe" at Catered Crop is sequins.  I was recently chatting with some cardmaking friends and we were laughing at the fact that if even just a year ago we had plopped a sequin on a card it would have looked silly.  I wonder who starts these trends?  Because now I seem to plop them on every other card.  I view them like ribbon vs. twine.  I used to use ribbon on everything, but being a CAS cardmaker, I now prefer the look of baker's twine because it is lighter and fresher.  I feel the same way about sequins vs. rhinestone or even buttons.  Sequins give such a nice flash without being heavy. Don't get me wrong - there's still ribbon and rhinestones and buttons on many of my cards - but I have jumped on the bandwagon!!

This is the last of my week-long attempt to use my order from Paper Smooches before they all got tucked away (although I didn't use the dies that go with this set - do you think I can still put it away?)!! I thought an icy drink would be a great way to use sequins!

I've been struggling with an idea for a card for a young lady who is heading off to college and is quite nervous about it.  As I was looking at this stamp set - the light bulb came on.  I do want her to "have a ball" and settle in happily - at least until she has to buckle down and study!!  (Nothing like waiting until the last minute as her going away party is tonight!)  I've also been struggling with a going-away gift and when an idea finally came to me, I felt really stupid.  She has been coming to our church cardmaking group since she was just a little girl.  What could possibly have more meaning to her than a stack of greeting cards for her own use???  It's not like I don't have a substantial stash of cards!!

I hope you all pull out your sequins.  If you don't have any - there are very nice sequins at the hobby stores.  I found lots of variety packs on Etsy.  Card stores with beautiful sequins include Ellen Hutson, Avery Elle and Neat and Tangled.  The sequins on this card are Clearly Beloved sequins from Simon Says Stamps. I'm sure there are lots more but these are some of my faves!

• Stamps: Paper Smooches Crystal Clear
• Paper: Stampin' Up Sahara Sand, My Mind's Eye Happy Day 6x6 dsp
• Ink: Stampin' Up Sahara Sand, Memento Tangelo, Copic marker for the water and shading
• Accessories: Clearly Beloved sequins (at Simon Says Stamp), MFT Fishtail die, MFT Blueprint 1 die set (the tag), May Arts twine

Seize the Sketch: Batty in Love

There was no way that I was going to miss the first sketch at Seize the Sketch!  I'm almost at the bottom of my Paper Smooches order so I was somewhat limited to a bat!  But what does a bat do - hang upside down - and the sketch had a wonderful opportunity for twine for him to hang from!

I don't think I'm done with this sketch yet.  I'm eyeing another set in my new stash that I think would work well...maybe later!

I have been very busy getting organized.  I love the act of organizing - it leads to a fresh start and I love that feeling.  This time I decided to put together a chart of inks.  I've downloaded or created charts for Memento and the Distress Inks and Papertrey and Stampin' Up.  But I had a really bad moment.  I have 113 different Stampin' Up ink colors.  My collection  goes back to colors I'm betting none of you remember - Mint Melody, Mauve Mist - those are going way back.  But look at this...how did I let this happen?

I didn't even know that I didn't have it - so clearly I've never used it.  But...that didn't stop me from jumping on EBay and completing my collection.  Sad, huh??

And I have a question.  Does anybody "understand" Hero Arts inks?  I was looking for a chart of all of their inks and there are a ton of downloadable charts available.  But none of them include all of the inks.  On the Hero Arts site, there is this chart and then there is this chart but there are tons of colors besides what is on those charts.  I love Pale Tomato but it doesn't show up anywhere.  Did they have a big color overhaul?  I'm doubting they retired all of those missing colors because if they did, they didn't leave themselves with many.  Anybody follow Hero Arts?

• Stamps: Paper Smooches Falling for You
• Ink: Memento Black and Copics
• Paper: Stampin' Up Basic Gray
• Accesories: Timeless Twine Cape Cod, Ellen Hutson Daffodil Sequins, Ranger Glossy Accents, Paper Smooches Falling for You dies

CAS(E) this Sketch! Thanks a Super Lot

It's time for a new sketch at CAS(E) this Sketch and everyone should play along!!  There are SO many options - tall flowers, feathers (although I spent a long time trying to create a nice feather card and I failed), balloons with strings...so many options!

I didn't use any of those.  I used words!  I am trying so hard to use my Never-Before-Used-Schtuff (NBUS) and there just wasn't anything tall in that stash.  So I am continuing on my use of a brand new order from Paper Smooches with a new thank you set (free with $60 purchase) and a brand new paper pad and just started stamping "thanks" in the colors from the paper.  The "super lot" seemed perfect for all of those "thanks"!

• Stamps: Paper Smooches Many Thanks
• Paper: MME Cut & Paste Flair, Stampin' Up Coastal Cabana
• Ink: Stampin' Up Real Red, Blushing Bride, Coastal Cabana, Sahara Sand, Versamark
• Accessories: white embossing powder, Papertrey Ink file die

Curtain Call Reminder: Watermelon Wonder

Just a reminder - there's still time to play along at the current Curtain Call.  You have until August 10th at 8 a.m. CDT to be inspired by this picture:

I wanted to make a second card for this challenge.  My first card used Chinese lanterns (you'll have to check it out to see why I thought Chinese lanterns worked for this challenge!)  I definitely wanted to do a second card actually using a watermelon.  I wanted to stick with the gorgeous coral colors from the inspiration, but I have to tell you that my husband wandered by and told me something was serious wrong with the watermelon because it was orange!!

I'm using the fun fruit digis from Rockwell Designs (see the tabs across to access all of the digis) But here's my deep, dark secret....I don't like watermelon...shhhhh...don't tell anyone!

• Stamps: Rockwell Designs digital stamps
• Paper: Stampin' Up Calypso Coral, New Leaf dsp
• Ink: Memento black, Copics
• Accessories: Avery Elle Sequins: Citrus and Lucky Blend, Lil' Inkers stitched rectangles and squares, Stampin' Up Calypso Coral twine