Creepy Spiders

Anyone who knows me knows that I dislike, despise and detest SPIDERS, eeek! But I had a friend recently request a spider themed banner (and had a few of those creepy things still hanging around), so I made this one up today for my Etsy shop which I am entering in this weeks Hand Stamped Sentiments Challenge. We are supposed to get our spooky on and anything that creeps and crawls this holiday season totally tops the spooky catagory in my eyes. 

HSS #86

a close up (you have NO idea how hard those things are to actually pick up!) glittered or not, they are still gross!!

I used kraft paper and then layered with some fun Halloween worded DP, which I cut out with the SU! Scallop Square Die and my Big Shot. I then used some Basic Black and again with the BS, but this time using the larger scalloped circle from the Scallop Circle #2 SU! die. Using Sticky Sheet on the back, I adhered my orange crepe paper, edged each kraft square (also corner rounded) with black ink, attached letters to spell CREEPY and two black glittered up spiders and some retired Rope Twine to hang my creepy little banner from a book shelf, mantle, door frame or window. 

Smell My Feet

This little mummy brings a smile to my face, especially with that caption "smell my feet"....

The Play Date Cafe is celebrating their 100th challenge this week and had this festive fall color palette to work with

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I stamped my little mummy in Lucky Limeade, cut him out and popped him off my card with Stampin' dimensions. A bit of Old Olive ribbon under the "smell my feet" sentiment, which was stamped in Black Craft Ink and heat embossed with in Black. This little guy just didn't look complete without googly eyes and once I attached those, well, I just couldn't stop smiling!

the inside is stamped with "give me something good to eat"

Punches used: Word Window & Modern Label

Cake for 2

First I want to apologize for the amount of photos in this post... I have two wonderful friends who are having Birthdays next week and I wanted to color accordingly! Which is why one of my sassy little ladies is blond and one is brunette! 

 I snagged this weeks Sweet Sunday Sketch, chose my stamps and papers and got to work...coloring, cutting, paper piecing (the pants), punching (the scallop edge), attaching my buttons to a mini images and adding a bit of brown fluff to the icing on the cake, yummy!

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 who do you think has more fun?? Blonds or Brunettes?

 a great shot of the buttons

  check out the fluff on the frosting! YUMMY!

Colors Used: Lucky Limeade, Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White

Punches Used: 3/4" Circle, Scallop Edge

SU! stamp sets Used: Birthday Bakery RETIRED

Wedding Invitations

I was going back over my blog looking for the set of Calla Lily invitations and coordinating thank you's I made for a bride getting married in Nebraska last year and couldn't find them ANYWHERE...panic started to set in, thinking I didn't document all my hard work BUT I found the photos on my computer (whew!). With Christmas this past year, a new baby, a deployment in our family and LOTS of company, I must've just forgotten to post them!! Sooo, without further ado.....

I've named these the 

Lacey Calla Lily

a little slow...

 Not sure if it's the move, being away from everything familiar or just my Mama brain BUT I'm in need of a serious pot of coffee and a regular school schedule for my daughter to get back on track, thankfully last week is starting to help all future dates look UP, hooray for school!

I made this little turtle card for a friend, better late than never, right?!
This weeks Wee Memories Challenge #67 is all about one layered cards and since this one's so flat (perfect for mailing!) I thought I'd give it a go and enter.

Punches used: Word Window

Stamp Set: Long Fellows

Colors: Whisper White, Basic Black & Lucky Limade

Golden Anniversary

This weeks Play Date Cafe challenge has such a scrumptious color palate, as soon as I spotted the rich hues, I knew exactly which stamp I was going to use when I paired it with this weeks Card Patterns sketch, which I flipped on it's side, to show off my proud peacock and bring him centerfold! 

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CPS 132

Night of Navy, So Saffron & Tempting Turquoise were the colors I chose as my interpretation of the inspiration photo. After paying such close attention to detail on my peacock with watercolor crayons, watercolor pencils and baby oil, a turquoise marker and blue glitter on the eyes of the tail, I felt like the Saffron needed a more elegant touch, so I spritzed it with some Gold Smooch Spritz, which photographed best in the afternoon sunlight. A ice blue shade for the "cracks" over my image for a slight appearance of glass. The Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set came to my rescue again with the perfect Happy Anniversary sentiment and two small pieces of Tempting Turquoise ribbon finished off the sketch.

Happy 4 U!

The Shabby Tea Room has excellent weekly challenges and I always feel like my cards just aren't shabby enough BUT this time, I feel like this one takes the cake...or at least there's one on my card! (grin)

Pink wedded bliss was the theme, using Pink, Black & any Neutral color, I chose to stick to good old wedding Whisper White. I started by sponging a bit of Regal Rose ink directly onto my Regal Rose cardstock and I did the same with my Basic Black layer, using Craft White. A clean Whisper white, layered with strips of RETIRED ribbon from the Fairy Tale collection. I used Craft Basic Black to stamp the little frame and then heat embossed with Basic Black powder. My little cake I colored directly onto the stamped image with my Regal Rose and Basic Black Stampin' Write markers, cut out my image and then popped it off the framed bit. A bit of SU! basic pearls to add a bit more shabby and viola!

week #78

Punch Used: Decorative Label 

Stamp Sets: RETIRED It's the Thought & Four Frames

Simple Congratulations

This week over at Hand Stamped Sentiments, they are having a clean and simple challenge (fun!), which I paired with the color challenge over at Just Add Ink (JAI84), where we are to use Whisper white and a color of choice. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Crumb Cake (can't get enough of it) so after stamping my sweet little elephant in Versa Mark, I then heat embossing the image with Clear Embossing powder for a subtle impression. I added a piece of coordinating ribbon off to the side and stamped my Congratulations sentiment in Basic Black, from the RETIRED Well Scripted stamp set. I also corner rounded the edges to soften the card a bit. I love making simple cards to celebrate people, a new job or a new little life in this case. A childhood friend is pregnant with her fourth child and I remember her bed being surrounded by stuffed elephants, which is why I chose our stout little friend.

HSS83

Happy 2nd Birthday!

Today I started off with this fabulous sketch from The Sweet Stop and paired it with the rich colors from  the ColourQ. I made this card for a little girl who is very near and dear to my heart. I was blessed to be apart of Chloe's life and photograph her month to month throughout her first year of life. You can read her story HERE. 

CQC101

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On to the card... I used all the colors listed above but instead of Orchid Opulence (which I no longer have) I substituted Wisteria Wonder. A small piece of RETIRED DSP from my demo sampler (loving that thing!), topped with a 2-1/2" Circle in Pool Party which was framed with a larger circle in Rich Razzleberry. The Sparkle sizzlits die was the perfect pop behind my little 2. I stamped several different colors of the "nd" cutting them out, snipping them off kilter, etc but the 1" Circle won in the end. Of course with all the color going on, I thought it odd to have a REALLY white circle, so I pulled out my color spritzer tool, screwed in my Pool Party marker and got to work spritzing a bit of color on my 2 and my "nd". A Happy Birthday sentiment, RRR ribbon (that's Rich Razzleberry Retired, don't you feel like rolling your tongue now?!) and some purple bling.

 The sweet little hearts on the inside of the card are in memory of Chloe's Mama.

Sweet Baby PINK

Using this weeks Just Add Ink Sketch & Wee Memories Challenge #66, I created this sweet pink card for a dear friend who will soon be delivering her 3rd baby (second girl) in a far away country (where we delivered our  first born daughter)...so sending lots-a PINK vibes and prayers your way, Nat! Miss you and I know you're going to do AWESOME!!

JAI-83

I've been tapping into my RETIRED stash of lovelies lately, not only because after unpacking everything, I'm remembering exactly what I have but also because it's best to use what I have to make room for more, hehe!

I wanted to keep this card very girly and PINK, which explains the monochromatic look. I used Regal Rose, Melon Mambo, Pink Pirouette, Blushing Bride & Pretty in Pink. Three little strips of RETIRED DSP from the little demo paper sampler (I knew I kept it for a reason!) along the bottom of my card, topped with two pieces of already scrunched up ribbon (also retired) from the Fairy Tale line. My center flower was created with a 2-1/2" Circle with 6 little 1-1/4" Circles tucked behind. A phrase stamped in Versa Mark and Heat Embossed with Melon Mambo Embossing Powder, some PINK bling and viola!! Can't wait to send this card off to the new little princess once she arrives!

Sail Away Birthday

My Dad's Birthday is coming up this week, so again another daunting man card (hehe)...I started off using this weeks Sweet Sunday Sketch #133

  

I pulled out some RETIRED Nautical Expedition DSP (that I hadn't opened yet) and cut out one of the boats. The image was so stunning by itself, I couldn't bear to muck it up with anything else, so instead, I stamped a random display of Happy Birthday greetings onto my Basic Gray background with Craft White Ink & Embossing Powder. A bit of the DSP (which is printed to look like a log book) is stamped with a bolder Happy Birthday phrase with Craft Black Ink & Embossing Powder as the main sentiment and focal point. Some Cherry Cobbler Bakers Twine, three RETIRED Aged Copper brads in the top left corner and now for some sentimental words inside to celebrate my hard working Father on his Birthday. Love you Dad!!

The Paper Players Challenge #62 is celebrating Birthday cards this week

 and over at 

Our Creative Corner

their challenge is to use DP as the focal point on this weeks project

Stamp Sets used for the Happy Birthday background:

Plane & Simple

Happy Moments

So Happy For You

Messages for Mom

Vintage Labels

Well Scripted 

Holiday Mini is HERE!!

The Holiday Mini is finally here...so if you're in the mood to make some ghoulish treats for your little goblins, spice up your Thanksgiving table with some hand made treats or get a head start on your Christmas cards and handmade goodies and gifts, you've got to check it out!!

With so many fun new items, I'm having a HARD time keeping my WISH LIST minimal, I'm in love with the cute little cellophane bags, perfect for putting Halloween treats in or chocolate dipped pretzels, yum! The Christmas Lodge stamp set, seriously?! I'm in lurveeee!! I can't wait to color that little cottage using my water colored pencils or crayons and then with a paper blending stump, to brighten up my image with some baby oil! (It's not just for the summer ladies!!) A new Stocking punch, um, can anyone say, "easy kid projects!" with a coordinating stamp set, FUN! and some bling or a felt embellishment, some ribbon and viola, handmade Christmas ornaments! Two shades of glimmer paper, since no girl I know can have enough GLITTER!!! The list goes on, so click on the catty link on the left and start browsing or you can go directly to my SU! demo web page HERE. 

You can order from this Holiday Mini starting today, September 1st-January the 3rd

All things PINK

The ColourQ is having their 100th challenge this week and with some important dates coming up, I decided to give it a go! I started off with this sketch (from Clean & Simple Stamping #155)...

and then added one of my favorite color combos from a past week at the ColourQ, which just so happens to be #41

You can't go wrong with PINK, gray, black and MORE PINK, hehe....instead of Pink Passion, I used Melon Mambo for my HOT color. Starting off with a blank white slate, I added a layer of black and Melon Mambo which I dry embossed with a birthday EF on the bottom 1/2 and the top 1/2, I stamped my Birthday sentiment from the RETIRED Well Scripted stamp set. My sweet (literally) little row of cakes, taken from the RETIRED Hostess Birthday Bakery stamp set was colored using an assortment of fun pink hues, brown, gray & a touch of green. Using the 1" Circle Punch, I punched two circles, one in Basic Gray (which I covered with Sticky Strip and then created a Melon Mambo Pom Pom flower) , the other in Pretty in Pink (which I ran back through the Big Shot with the embossing folder to snag the appropriate letter). A small 3/4" Circle in Basic Black with the tiny cherry on top (taken from the Cupcake Punch) and then, without more ado, a cupcake (made from the Cupcake Punch, crimped on the bottom 1/2 and topped with fluff on the top 1/2, which is unfortunately NOT edible, bummer!)

and there you have it, something sweet and PINK, what more could a girl want on her Birthday?? Okay, so I could think of a few things but for now, this'll have to do!