Happily Ever After

22nd Wedding Anniversary

This is the Anniversary card that I created for my husband. Very simple, clean and elegant so it didn't look like much just handing it to him.
I actually adhered his gift on the top of the inside. I have made reservations for us to go to the Hilton on the beach and eat Sunday Brunch!!! BUT WAIT, That's NOT all, I also made reservations for a couple's SPA DAY complete with massages, Champagne & Wine

My Card Base, The large vintage cream label & my sentiment label were all stamped in pirouette pink ink using Verve's " Beautiful Backgrounds " stamp set

CHALLENGES I USED:
Stamptacular Sunday Challenge: S.O.S = Someone Special (you must also stamp somewhere on your project)
Oh La La: Pink, Pink, Pink
Tuesday Throwdown: 3-D (hope those big puffy hearts are 3-d enough, but just in case, I also popped my inside sentiment up with pop dots)
Creative Inspirations: Plain & Simple
Cute Card Thursday: Shiny Happy Cards
PaperPlay Challenges: Add some SHINE

?????? Looking for Challenges ??????
Linda
aka
THE FUNKIE JUNKIE
updates her challenge site daily
thank you Linda for being my #1 go to site when searching for
CHALLENGES

You can never say "it" too much

THANKS

I am not a huge fan of Autumn or Winter, being cold, shorter days, trees with no leaves, snow, nope I will pass on all of the above. I am a fan, however, of Giving Thanks and I love that we have a special day set aside to remind us to be thankful for everything we have. In reality, everyday is Thanksgiving right? Although I don't watch Oprah, I remember hearing something about a gratitude journal. Sometimes I have trouble falling asleep or maybe I am just in a rather pessimistic mood. Surely no one else ever feels that way. Today's project is a small place where, when I am feeling negative, I can begin to list things that I am thankful for. I don't write sentances, no dates, no tabs and no lines, just blank pages where I can write words. Maybe I feel like drawing a little sketch or writing upside down. My challenge for all of you is to create a special place outside of a regular journal, to jot down anything that you are thankful for. I promise you will begin to feel very blessed and happy. Another thing I like to do as I fall asleep rather than writing, is to start a mental list or prayer of things I am thankful for. What a wonderful way to drift off to sleep. Thank you everyone who stops by here and leaves such wonderful comments. I love reading them and they truly do brighten my day.

A FEW REMINDERS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
(click on the company names to visit their websites)

Shirley's 2 Girls

• 25% off all Halloween Stamps (excludes digi images)
• Congratulations to AMY who was last weeks TWISTED THURSDAY WINNER. Enjoy your new stamps and let us see what you create after receiving them
• This week's TWISTED THURSDAY sketch challenge is still going on until Wed. Maybe you will be this week's WINNER (see 2 posts down for complete details)

Paper Maniac

• Paper Maniac has a new sketch challenge that begins today ----> HERE
• 30% off Halloween items
  
• FPO/APO address can enjoy free shipping throughout the month of October on purchases of $40 or more, compliments of Paper Maniac

ABC Toys & Crafts

• ABC Toys & Crafts is offering 25% off Inkadinkado Stamps
  

Verve meets Paper Trey Ink

Created this a while back for a Viva La Verve Sketch challenge but I think that I may not have ever gotten to share it. If I did, forgive me because I cannot find it in my archive. Thought it was a good card for "Takin' Out the Stash Tuesday"..... I tend to hoard those great big eyelets, which I will probably do more so now that I am going to try and not make any purchases from that company that just decided to change it's demonstrator policies!! Anyhow, the hotair balloon is a Verve image and the sailboat is from Paper Trey Ink. This one might be worth clicking the photo and taking a closer look at that turbulent sea!! I honestly cannot remember what I used to create the swirly waves but probably the edge of some stamp (I'm thinking Verve and quit possibly one of the other balloon images). I used a glue pen then added a bit of glitter. OK, that's all for me, I am going back to enjoying my holiday. Can't wait to share the photos of my latest archeological Treasure Hunt!!!!!!!!

"VERVALICIOUS" Hostess Gift Set

Verve Stamps is one of the MOST generous Stamp producers on the market. I mean seriously who has not heard of MOJO Monday's or Viva La Verve or the numerous other opportunities Verve gives to WIN some of theirs stamps for FREE?? I just finished my second entry into the "Happiness for Hostess" Project....... I had so much fun with the Wine set that I created last week, that I used the same concept to create this Frappaccino set for the sole purpose of getting to play with my new stamp set "Delightful & Delicious"....... Let me know what you think...

...........Supplies I used...........
Stamps: Verve (delightful & delicious)
Patterned Paper: My Favorite Things
Cardstock: Canson Papercraft (heritage colors assortment)
Ribbon: My Favorite Things (chocolate satin), Making Memories (bella kids trims pink gingham)
Ink: Paper Trey Ink (dark chocolate, fresh snow), Copic Markers, Stampin Up (close to cocoa)
Tools & Dies: Spellbinders (rectangle scallop dies), Marvy Uchida (yellow scallop & regular circle punches), Stampin Up (scallop circle punch, Sizzix top note label die, scallop border punch), Provo Craft (cuttlebug)
Misc: foam squares

It's Tuesday, Time to take out the "Stash"

Takin' out the Stash
Tuesday

Tuesday is the day that I challenge myself to use products that I would rather "hoard". I broke into some brand new Basic Grey products that I just received from ABC Toys & Crafts. As a starting point this morning, I searched for some fun challenges and discovered a few "new to me" blogs. Today's card started with a fun challenge called "Pile It On". The object of their weekly challenges is to see how many challenges you can "pile" into one card. Their theme for this week is "birthday". Hmm how appropriate, seem to be so many of those going around, which brings me to Mina's challenge found HERE -----> Heidi's Birthday sketch. The 3rd challenge that I "Piled" into this card was a color challenge found HERE ------> The Pink Elephant. Their challenge was to use "Red, Yellow, Black & White".. 4th Challenge was to use 3 or more Patterned Papers found HERE -----> Crafty Creations Challenges. 5th Challenge was to use Polka Dots found HERE -----> My Time to Craft Challenge #77.
Those fun little shoes are from the new Verve stamps "Just My Style" that I WON. The stamp is one shoe but I stamped it twice onto patterned paper, highlighted using Copics, cut them out and popped the first one up with foam squares. The swirls behind the shoes is also a stamp in this new setSo what did I use out of my stash? Buttons, the leaf ribbon and new Basic Grey paper (June Bug).

It's a Verve Kinda Week

I absolutely love participating in Sketch challenges. Not sure if it is the chance of winning Free products or the fact that the sketch gives me a starting point for an otherwise, choatic mind. One of my favorite places to participate in challenges is Verve. First off, they have the Mojo Monday every Monday, then over on SCS there is the Viva La Verve sketch challenges where a new sketch is announced every Friday and if you participate in each week's challenge you are allowed to enter the "Championship" for a chance to win all of the new release stamps when they are released .. Of course there are also the monthly Stamp Release Challenges which is a week of challenges with a new sketch each day......
Does any of this sound exciting to you?? Check out the following links for more information on how you can play along or just cruise through the photo albums for tons of inspiration:

• June Release Challenge Link

• Mojo Monday Challenge Link

• Viva La Verve Challenge Link (week 1)
• Week 2
• Week 3
• Week 4
  

Yesterday I received my new stamps from ABC Toys & Crafts. Today's Mojo sketch & Verve Sketch were combined. I wanted to use some new Verve stamps that I received yesterday, however, sometimes the sketch speaks to you, which is what this one did. "Crafty Secrets" was the only stamps that would do..

Wanna know what I did?

Obviously started with the Kraft base, but look closely at the yellow, after I ran it through the cuttlebug and embossed using a SU folder, I cut it in half and flipped the top portion over so that the embossing is inverted. I inked and distressed the edges of the top portion. For the lower portion, I ran my inked up sponge across the embossed image to darken it but allowed the inverted portion to remain a lighter shade of yellow....

The sweet little image was colored using my Copics, cut out and the edges inked and distressed just a tad. The Prima flowers are also sold over at ABC (amazing aren't they, I even love the container that they come in). Wait! I did use Verve!!! The background for my sentiment was first stamped in So Saffron ink with an Artful Elegance stamp (Verve) , then the sentiment was stamped over it in black. I completely forgot that I had the punch that went with the hardware until after I had fought with it, cutting it down, rounding the edges so that it would fit behind the tag (what a Cotton Headed Ninny Muggins)..... I used my new Nesties instead of a boring ole rectangle, which is what the sketch called for............ Next time I use this stamp set, I am going to break out the Flower Soft........
Thanks for stopping by today. I'm sure I will have lots of fun stuff to share this week with all of the Verve Sketches, Twisted Thursday, New Stamps and The New Digital Images over at Shirley's 2 Girls...........

LAST BUT NOT LEAST:

You have until June 30th to get your clear stamps at a 15% discount over at ABC Toys & Crafts

Father's Day meets Verve

This is one the new Verve stamp sets, "Up, Up & Away", that I won during the Stampin Out Alzheimer's week but couldn't wait to see if I had won, so I purchased it!!!!!! Did that make sense? I can't seem to put it down so in honor of all of the Fathers out there, I will share a couple of the cards that I have created.
This first card was created for my husband.

Some of the tools I used to create this masterpiece



After stamping the clouds onto a 1/2 scalloped circle, I dipped my small paint brush into the ink on the top of a stamp pad lid, then blended the lines of the clouds with white acrylic paint. I also sponged a bit of the blue ink over the image then inked the edges of my clouds. One of the images is adhered behind the rectangle piece of card stock where the image is stamped, the other is mounted behind the image and the top is mounted on foam squares.

The tree was stamped twice. (this tree is one of the plain Jane stamps, not the tree that comes in the stamp set) Once on Very Vanilla card stock, which I colored using my copics, the second time onto Always Artichoke. I cut out just the top of the green one, inked the edges and mounted it on top of the vanilla one using foam squares. The balloon itself was stamped onto DP and cut out. I used an craft knife for the center.

The ribbon is from my stash and the button is from an old pair of pants. The jeweled flower with the tiger's eye bead were from an EARRING ;o) I cut the back off and tied it around the center using the ribbon.
Part of the sentiment (the sentiment is also a plain Jane, meaning that it is sold seperately) is visible from the outside, front of the card the top portion that read, "Happy" is stamped just under the front of the card. Not sure what you call this fold, technically it was a mistake or a miscalculation when I scored my fold. Regardless, I think it is super fun......

...................Supplies I used......................
Stamps: Verve (up up & away, plain jane tree & father's day sentiment)
Ink: Momento (tuxedo black) Stampin Up(river rock, baja blue, always artichoke, chocolate chip) white
Paper: Stampin Up (rust, very vanilla, natural, always artichoke, DP travel paper), Bo Bunny (polka dots), DCWV(script from a DP stack)
Tools: Stampin Up (scallop circle punch, ticket corner punch)

STAMPIN' OUT ALZHEIMERS

My good friend, Jen Tapler teamed up with Paper Craft Planet, Verve Stamps and just about every other stamp company to create a One Week Stampin' Community to raise money and awareness for Alzheimers..... They have surpassed their goal of $5,000 (100% of the proceeds will be given to the Alzheimer's Association)

After making a minimum $5 donation you will be allowed to register within the private website, where I have been blown away with the EXCLUSIVE GIVEAWAYS, EXCLUSIVE CHALLENGES, EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT CODES and PRIZES. I'm not talking about a one give away a day, I'm talkin', OVERWHELMING!!!!!!!!!!

Whether someone you know or love has been affected by Alzheimers, or you would just like to be part of raising awareness, I invite you to use the Pay Pal Widget, on the side bar, and make a small donation then CLICK HERE to register for the Private website.

REMINDERS:
Tomorrow is TWISTED THURSDAY

Check out ABC Toys & Crafts blog HERE Julie announced that she is looking for a DESIGN TEAM to Join ME. Get your Martha Stewart punches from ABC Toys & Crafts HERE

.................Supplies I used................
Stamps: GinaK Designs
Tag & Edge Punch: Martha Stewart from ABC Toys & Crafts
Designer Paper?
Copic Markers
Diamond Glaze from Susana's Custom Art & Card Design

Another Yummy Valentine

OK this is NOt the card that I have been wanting to post. If I psycho analyze myself, I would discover that I do not want to do all of the photo editing that is going to have to be done to my Fantabulous Card which is why I have not posted in a couple days!! Stinks when you have a great card and cannot capture a decent photo.

I now have a PhotoShop book so I am slowly teaching myself how to edit. Who am I fooling, I am having to teach myself how to open up the darn program!!!! At the moment I cannot figure out what it is I need to do to the photo. There is a satin ribbon that keeps shining like a NEoN Light.

This is another Valentine that I created for a co-worker. The heart stamp was first pressed into Versa Mark and then into the Dark Chocolate ink. I then sprinkled it with clear embossing powder and heat set it. While it was still hot, I again sprinkled it with the powder and heat set that. I did this a total of 3 times to get almost a Filigree Epoxy effect...... I then cut it out and mounted it on foam squares.

I used a fancy corner punch in the corners of the white cs and mounted it onto Pink. I punched a scalloped, square nestability and then dry embossed it with with the textile embossing folder. The inside of the card has a while scalloped square that I stamped with a retired SU stamp called Sketch It. The sentiments are Verve. I have attached photos to share how I piece together clear sentiment stamps to make a sentence or just to line up placement of stamped images. I lay the stamp where and how I want it to appear. I then take my stamping block and press onto them which picks them up onto the block. Perfect placement every time.
................Recipe................
Verve: heart to heart stamp set
Stampin' Up!: pink piroque cs, sketch it (retired) stamp set, versa mark, clear embossing powder
Spellbinders: scallop square nestabilities
Provo Craft: Cuttlebug, textile embossing folder
EK Success: corner punch
PaperTrey Ink: White cs, dark chocolate ink

Viva La Verve week 4

I almost missed the deadline on this sketch challenge. In order to be entered into the drawing for FREE stamps by Verve, you must enter all of the sketch challenges for the month. Take a look at how well I followed the Sketch this time. (Argh, Conformity) But Yea, I made the deadline so wish me LUCK. Free is sounding pretty good especially since I will only be working on Friday of this week and it is a 1/2 day to boot!!! No work=No Pay!!!

This card was very difficult to photograph and I pretty much stink at photo editing. The pink hearts in the middle just kept dominating, appearing almost electric. However, the sentiment appeared dull as though it were set off in the distance. Weird! You'll just have to trust me that this is a beautiful card. The card base is Certainly Celery but WOW check out the DP!! I embossed it using a paisley embossing folder then sanded it to really make them pop. Pretty cool IRL!! Did you really think I could create a card without Polka Dots?? I did! Was just about to type that there was no ribbon or Polka Dots and WOO HOO, there it is being used as one of my layers.

This card had a twist which was to add flowers. They could be anything you wanted but I am not much of an add a flower kinda girl. My flower is the little ribbon slide in the center of the baby heart to which I added a teeny piece of hot pink ribbon. This card has quit a bit of dimension. The sentiment is raised on some new Italian foam squares. These squares are taller than the ones by SU. The larger heart is flush on the card but the other two are both mounted on SU foam squares.

Sorry to end so quickly but I have a hair appointment. BTW, Dave Brown, this is one of the cards for YOU!!

Be Mine

The other day I posted the card with the Verve hearts and the little buttons. The heart at the top of that card was first stamped and then punched out with one of my new EK Success heart punches. Well as I was cleaning my craft table, and organizing all of the scraps (not my favorite thing to do) I ran across these "hollow hearts". They were too pretty to just toss so I started playing around and this card is what I ended up with.....

Isn't it the yummiest. These colors remind me of Neopolitan Ice Cream.

Basically all I did to the hearts was to cut around one side of the heart on the left, matched up the corners and attached a small piece of DP to the back. The corners are punched with the SU ticket punch. After stacking the layers, attaching brads, I then adhered it to the card base using foam squares. The sentiment is also from the Verve Heart to Heart set. I stamped it twice to achieve the shadow on the word "mine". The tag was created using the Ribbon tag slides by Nestabilities on Pink Piroque CS by SU. Not sure if you can see in the photo how the tag is bowed just a bit giving it added dimension. This is achieved by using a thick or wide ribbon.

The 1" scalloped strips of chocolate chip cs were first punched with the Scallop Edge punch (SU) and then pierced with a Craft Needle. I placed my pieces on a mouse pad, centered the needle in each scallop and poke a hole. When I push the needle through, I wiggle it (more of a tilting, not spinning) in circles to create a larger hole. The inside of the card was stamped using the same heart but the sentiment there is from PTI.

Thanks for stopping by. I am off to go create some Valentine Treats and gifts so stay tuned.

..................Recipe................
Verve: heart to heart stamp set
Stampin Up: pink piroque, chocolate chip, certainly celery cardstocks, chocolate chip ink, scallop edge punch, ticket corner punch, pink mini brads
PaperTrey Ink: heart prints stamp set
Tree House Market: striped dp
The Paper Studio: polka dot satin ribbon

Rain Rain Go AWAY

Happy Tuesday everyone. If you are living here in Sicily, I do not need to explain the title of today's post... We are having the weirdest weather. This morning I couldn't stop looking out the windows. For the past several days it has been very dark, rainy, and cold with strong gusts of wind. The sky looked as though it were sitting right above my house. The strangest part is that it was YELLOW outside. I am not talking sunshine yellow! More like the color of Sand (a light brown yellowy color). Although it was raining, there was a quiet eeriness to it. Now originally being from Oklahoma, I was expecting a big Twister to come screaming through at any moment. I really wish that I had thought to take a photo ;( Apparently we were receiving a sand storm from the Sahara Desert.... Our schools were let out at 1/2 day due to crazy flooding, the school buses had to find alternative routes home.

It could be worse ========= It could be SNOW. YUCK!!

Today's card is my submission for the Mojo Monday Sketch challenge. If you would like to play along, create your card using the sketch above, upload it to Splitcoast Stampers and label it MOJO69. You can also click on the banner to the right for full description and details. This sketch just seemed to flow for me. Guess that's why they call it MOJO.

First, I inked the edges of my my card base. cut a blush piece of CS a tad bit smaller, distressed the edges with my fingernail and inked the edges. The blush colored strip was first stamped with Dark Chocolate ink using the little bow from "Black Tie Birdies", adhered a strip of ribbon. I then Zig Zag Stitched it onto my brown CS and adhered it to the Card.

I creatd the scalloped circle medallion with a corner punch. Not sure what it's name is but it is orange. I simply removed the bottom portion of the punch in order to get the edges of my circle in there flush. This is actually the first time I have ever used this technique and I didn't even waste paper with trial and error. Easy Peasy. It is double mounted on a brown scallop circle.

The large brown heart was stamped in Vintage Cream using the heart from Heart to Heart stamp set by Verve . I then punched out it using EK Success large heart punch. The heart is mounted on foam squares. The buttons were threaded then adhered with glue dots. For the little hearts at the bottom, I again inked up the same heart stamp as above, however, this time I stamped it with the EK Success medium heart punch. (VERY CLEVER) I believe the metal letters are by Heidi Swapp.

Using a Blanket Stitch, I hand stiched the top corner with embroidery floss........ Again, I wish I had taken photos so that you could get a better visual of the instructions above. That's it for me, thank you for stopping by and I hope that you will send me a link if you decide to play along with this challenge.........
..............Products Used..........................
Stampin' Up, EK Success, PaperTrey Ink, Verve, Heidi Swapp

Mojo Monday Sketch 68 & Exciting News

Before I can even get started with today's card I have some exciting NEWS........... I WON a free stamp set from MFT stamps.....

Over at PCP there was a call for new sentiment ideas for the My Favorite Things stamp set E-Girl. I submitted several ideas, however, I do not know which of my suggestions was accepted. I do know that my idea has been created as part of brand new stamp set and I will be receiving a free set when they are released..... More to come....

Verve Stamps has a blog specifically called Mojo Monday where one of their designers releases a new sketch challenge for the week. Since I am having so much fun playing around with these sketches that I would challenge myself and Play along. This is a judged contest and NOT a Random number generator.. That excites me!! Maybe I will discover if I am worthy of recognition. I mean maybe I am like one of those people that auditions for American Idol and they stink but everyone feels sorry for them and thus tells them how wonderful they are only to end up on national television being told that they suck....... Ouch.. I have added a "Mojo Monday" badge over on the left if you would like to take a peek or play along.

Movin on to "the card of the day". For the most part I followed the sketch to a "T" adding my personal touches here and there. This sketch had a "twist" which was to add BLING of some sort ie: glitter, rhinestones etc. I did stamp the XO with versa mark ink and heat embossed using clear powder. The light pink scalloped circle was pierced inside each scallop using a craft needle. I also embossed the sentiment.

Now since I did not have brown embossing powder, I first pressed my stamp into the Versa Mark and then pressed it onto the Dark Chocolate ink pad and heat embossed with clear powder. Thank you Laura for that tip!!

Little birdie was stamped using Fresh Snow ink on chocolate chip CS. She is mounted onto a Pink Piroque scalloped oval and mounted using foam squares. She is wearing a hot pink diamond heart on her ribbon. If you look closely you will see a teeny little pink rhinestone that dots the "i" in the word Kisses....... I also used a Pink rhinestone brad in the center of my felt flowers.
The little chocolate hearts were punched with a dollar store punch. They are adhered to a piece of pink twill ribbon. That's it for me today.

I am so glad that you stopped by. I have been preparing a tutorial for a little gift box so check back. If there is anyone who would know why my blog counter would have mysteriously stopped working, please let me know how to fix it. That was the highlight of my blogging!!!!!!!

...........Recipe...........
Verve: Black Tie Birdies, Heart to Heart stamp sets
Stampin Up: pink piroque, chocolate chip cardstocks, Versa Mark ink, clear embossing powder, rhinestone brad, felt flowers
PaperTrey Ink: rasberry fizz cardstock, dark chocolare ink, blush twill ribbon, Marvy Uchida purple scalloped circle punch,
the rhinestones are for fingernail art

**** T G I F ****

Grab a glass of Vino or a cup of Cafe' and settle in because today I am a little long winded but obviously have a lot to share..

I cannot believe how tired I have been this week.. It totally shows in my face, I don't have bags, I have luggage. I keep thinking that I am coming down with something based on how lethargic and achy I feel in the evenings... Dave and Adam have both been sick so I am expecting it. I am not scheduled to work next week so I am hoping that I will be able to relax and stamp all weekend then tackle the house on Monday.... O we all know how that will pan out. I won't accomplish anything in my craft world because the dirt will clutter my mind........

Today I want to share with you the Verve "Looking for Love" challenge that I have been participating in. I am uploading the sketches along with what I created based on what I see when I look at them. Let me know what you think. They are listed in the order from Day 1- Day 4.

Day 1 - I created a 3"x3" in order to start getting ideas for what I might create for Adam to hand out to his classmates. Probably not going to be this. Again I have reached for the "Black Tie Birdies" by Verve but I also used one of the stamps in Recipe Labels by PaperTrey Ink to create the pedastal for my bird.

Day 2 - I hope that Verve can forgive me for not using Verve Stamps. Apparently when I looked at that sketch, I saw sailboats!!! This is one of my new PaperTrey Ink sets called Men of Life.

Day 3 - This time I again reached for a Verve stamp called Notes of Prayer. I have a feeling that I will reach for that one quit a bit. I love the details in that cross. I used my Cuttlebug with the Textile embossing folder to emboss, as well as, my Nestabilities to create the scalloped squares. The satin polka dot ribbon is Plum Pudding by PaperTrey Ink.

Day 4 - This is not my favorite and I did not use Verve ;o( I used a combination of Piece of Cake with the numbers from Ambassador Monogram Edition, which are both PTI. The dimensional sticker was something that was laying around my desk.

If you are not familiar with any of the stamps or companies that I am speaking of, I have made it possible to link to them by clicking the highlighted words.......

I believe that the owner, Julee Tilman, will be actually judging the entries vs. using a random number generator. I am glad and I PRAY that she LIKES MY WORK... BTW, tonight is their big stamp release PARTY

Hugs & Kisses

Not sure who all reads this since not everyone has signed on to follow or left comments, but man O man if you are a card creator/stamper there is so much going on right now. I cannot keep up with all of the blog and stamp challenges... I mean really who has time to work? or sleep for that matter? Not ME. All I want to do is create and those two things are really slowing me down.... I think I slept about 4 hours last night and never did end up getting to post here.

PaperTrey Ink has started their sneak peaks for the New Releases on the 15th, so I am trying to get a few things submitted for the Guest Star Stamper.

GinaK Designs was having daily challenges and last night she offered a $10 coupon towards a $25 purchase.. Needless to say, I FINALLY purchased..... Cannot wait....

Verve Stamps is gearing up for New Releases on Friday. I am still working on My Monday Mojo challenge card but there is also a Card a Day challenge over at SplitCoast Stampers. I am playing with that because I am officially addicted to Verve Stamps and want MORE......

Melanie Muenchinger is still sponsoring daily prizes over on her blog in recognition of her One Year Blogging Anniversary.... Amazing prizes...

Today's card is the one that I created for Lauren Meader's Saturday Sketch challenge.... David looked at the sketch and then at my card and didn't see where I got my vision. MEN!!!!!! I would like to know if you can see how I followed the sketch? Like I said previously, I love looking at the sketch and making it My Own! I love that big hunking ribbon that is layered under my scalloped circles but it is actually between the center circles. My little birds and the sentiment are heat embossed and the completed card measures 8"x4"....... I may pop back in to add a few challenges that I know I am missing.. Wouldn't want anyone to miss out on all the FUN.....
...............Recipe............
Stampin Up: black cardstock, black embossing powder
Verve: Black Tie Birdies, Heart to Heart stamps
PaperTrey Ink: Rasberry Fizz, white cardstock
Tools: Marvy Uchida Scalloped Circle punches, heat tool
Misc: Ribbon from stash

My Heart Beats For You.......

Yeah baby, I'm on a MOJO roll now.... Maybe I will do a challenge each day. If you haven't actually tried one yet, I CHALLENGE you to "Just Do It". Leave me a comment with a link so that I can check it out... This was a Verve challenge with a bit of a "Twist", somewhere on the card, you had to use hardware (meaning metal of some sort)..

I actually sewed a little heart charm onto the bow that I tied. It is basically just tacked on with a needle and embroidery floss. The large polka dot buttons are actually cloth covered metal brads. I used my Nestabilities to emboss and cut the scalloped square and the white tag. The white dots in the corners of the square were created with the end of my stylus being dipped into the lid of white acrylic paint. Easy Peasy....... Black heart is mounted on foam squares and I used red stickles glue to add the little red dots after my sentiment.

I will tell you that this was a difficult card to photograph. The photo does NOT do it justice at all. Sad because it is an amazing card IRL ;o(

Today marks the end of Christmas break from school. Tomorrow it is back to school. I will continue to be the HS/MS P.E. teacher for at least another week. It's all good though, there are soooo many stamp companies that are realeasing amazing stamps and I feel the need to add them to my Collection... Not to mention Emily's college tuition for the upcoming semester is due. SOOOOOOOO - - HIGH HO--HIGH HO--TOMORROW IT'S OFF TO WORK I GO....

Thanks for stopping by

Shrinky Dink Valentine

I certainly hope that I have as much fun creating Valentines as I did Christmas cards. Since I created SOOOO many different Christmas cards this year very few people received the same card. This, of course, brought the challenge "which card to send whom"! I am assuming this will be my Valentine dilemma as well..... However, I have decided that will be another area that I can work on in 2009 - "Actually mailing out the cards that I create"!!!!!

My little, framed, shrinky dink heart started out as a stamped image of the larger heart but did not maintain the details very well. Therefore I colored it in, added white dots using my stylus and acrylic paint. I haven't played with shrinky dinks since I was way little, surely I played with them right??? What child of the 70's didn't..... I discovered that it was much quicker to just use my heat tool vs. the oven and the inked image was more clear (even though I colored it in)....

Things I learned::::::

1) Sand the plastic prior to stamping it to keep the stamp from sliding on the plastic 2) If you mess us you can just wipe the image off of the plastic and try again 3) Do not try to heat your image inside of your embossing tray (embossing tray will melt and your shrinky dink will blow around 4) Shrinky dink will completely curl up before flattening out 5) Gently lay the metal part of your stylus across the plastic as you heat it 6) Flatten the shrunk plastic with a spatula or pan scraper after heating to ensure that it is flat

I used Polka Dot Basics by PaperTrey Ink for the dots on my scalloped circle and inside of my metal frame. The white ink is Fresh Snow and the Pink heart and pink dots were stamped using the new Rasberry Fizz (probably gonna see that color alot). I love how the sentiment appears to be referring to the little framed shrinky dink heart.............................. Guess what?? I didn't use any ribbon!!!!! That should be a sin, don't ya think???

Enjoy the rest of your day and thanks for stopping by
................Recipe...............
Verve: Heart to Heart Stamps
Stampin' Up!: black & white cardstock, metal hodge podge frame w/brads,
PaperTrey Ink: Fresh Snow, Rasberry Fizz perfect match inks, Polka Dot Basics Stamps,
Tools: Sewing machine, heat tool, Stylus, Marvy Uchida purple scalloped circle punch