Wilma the Witch--Color Throwdown #62

It's Color Throwdown day!! And it's Broni's turn to be hostess. She chose some great Halloween colors and that's a good thing. 'Cause we have a sponsor again this week and we're showcasing their new Halloween releases! This week's sponsor is Digital Delights by Louby Lou digital stamps. You can find out all about them at the Throwdown blog. This week's colors are: Rich Razzleberry, Really Rust, Going Gray, and Old Olive.
I'm using Wilma the Witch for my card. I printed her on Neenah paper and colored her with Copic markers. I did get a little bleeding, but not too bad. This was my first time to use Neenah and I'll admit I like Gina K.'s Pure Luxury and MFT Perfect Paper Panels better. Despite that, I'm happy with how the image turned out. My patterned paper is from a mat stack by Recollections from Micheals. I even used a "scrapling" for the vertical element that was left over from another card! I'm green!!! :) The little ribbon and button accent are clipped on with a new Old Olive library clip that I just got from SU! I ordered them because I thought I *needed* to have them on hand and had no idea I'd use one so soon, LOL! But I didn't want to use a bow and this worked out perfectly! I also added a little glimmer to the stars on her hat with a Sakuro glitter pen.

Remember, you do not have to have the exact colors to play. If you don't, just use the closest you have. And don't forget--this week there's a chance to win a prize or to be chosen as Featured Stamper. Now, c'mon over to the Color Throwdown blog and play along with us this week. Please use Mr. Linky to post your card and please link directly to your card so we can find it easily and so you'll be eligible to win (only directly linked entries will be considered for Featured Stamper or for the prize--see the sidebar on the blog for all the details). If you upload your card to a public forum, please use the keyword CTD62 so we can see your beauty all in one place. Hope to see you there!

Be sure to check out what the other team members have come up with this week!

Broni Holcombe--Splashes of Watercolor
Cathy Indelicato--Crafty Thoughts
Danielle Kennedy--Wild Dragonfly Designs
LeAnne Pugliese--Wee Inklings
Tammy Hershberger--Stamp Happy
Kristin Bueter/September Guest Designer--Mindless Creativity

I'm so glad you dropped in today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Wilma the Witch (Digital Designs by Louby Lou)
Paper: Basic Gray, Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive (SU!); Neenah Solar Crest white; Recollections Halloween mat stack
Ink: Printer ink
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Petite Oval Nestabilities dies; 3M foam squares, Pearl cotton, ribbon (craft store); Vintage button (PTI); library clip (SU!); Sakuro glitter pen in Clear Star

Party Girl

Ready to party??? Well, Party Girl is! This is one of My Favorite Things' September releases and I love this set!!! (Yeah, yeah ;-)) This was one of those cards that make themselves, if you know what I mean? I felt like my mojo was flowing and this card just came together like it had a mind of it's own. Don't you just love it when that happens :)

I stamped the image on a Perfect Paper Panel with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored it with Copic markers--after I picked out this PERFECT paper to go with it. The paper is from a Memory Box 6 x 6 pack called Glitterazzi. I knew I wanted to use some wild paper for this card and this paper fits the bill. When I spied this flame paper I knew I'd found THE ONE. I think the card construction should be pretty easy to figure out. I used more DP to fashion the "moon" and added some punched out bats to give it a bit of a "spooky" feel. But Party Girls' gonna rock on anyway ;-)

Thanks for stopping by today! Don't forget--tomorrow is Color Throwdown day so be sure to check back.

~Recipe~
Stamps: Party Girl (MFT)
Paper: Basic Black, Elegant Eggplant, Whisper White (SU!); Glitterazzi 6 x 6 pack (Memory Box); Perfect Paper Panels (MFT)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Classic Circles Nestabilties dies; 3M foam squares, flat back jewels (craft store); Copic markers; Designer Label punch (SU!); bat punch (Martha Stewart)

BOO!!!!!!!!!!!

First, let me say I am head over heels in love with this project! It's for My Favorite Things' My Favorite Challenge from last Thursday, which was to use buttons. Well, I'm sure you know by now that was no challenge to me--I {heart} buttons!

Last fall, and for Christmas, I did several sets of these resin letters from Michaels but only put paper on them. I decided to embellish up this BOO set and I love it!!! I'm hoping to have time to add some fun stuff to the ones I did last year. Anyway, I used several MFT sets for this project: Too Cute to Spook, Totally Witchin', Ghoulish Labels, and Trick or Treat With Who's That Girl. (A couple of the sets seem to be sold out, but keep checking back!) DP is from the new Eerie 6 x 6 pad from Basic Grey. These letters come painted white, so I set right to applying the paper--which I do with a glue stick (no mess like with Mod Podge), letting it set over night. Then I cut around the letter with my craft knife and sanded the edges with a sanding block. For this set, I distressed the letters with Black Soot Ranger Distressing Ink before adding the embellishments. Lots of cutting out with this project but it was so worth it! I colored the images with Copic markers and added buttons and bows and tiny orange eyes to most of the critters. This was a totally fun project and I know I'll enjoy it for years to come!

I'm so glad you dropped by! Hope you like this project!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Totally Witchin', Too Cute to Spook, Ghoulish Labels, Trick or Treat With Who's That Girl (MFT)
Paper: Eerie 6 x 6 pad (Basic Grey)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Black Soot Distress Ink (Ranger)
Accessories: ribbon, Pearl cotton, flat back beads (craft store); Copic markers; witch and bad punches (Martha Stewart), Vintage Buttons (PTI)

Happy Thanksgiving

The way time is flying, Thanksgiving in the US will be here before we know it, but even sooner for our Canadian friends. I decided I'd better get a card made to send to a very special friend in Newfoundland and get it in the mail in the next several days so she'll get it on time.

The DP is from a DCWV mat stack called Indian Summer--not to be confused with the Basic Grey 6 x 6 pad by the same name. Card stock colors are Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, and Really Rust. I stamped this Inkadinkado image on Very Vanilla with Chocolate Chip ink, cut/embossed with a Nestabilities Classic Circle die and sponged the edges with Tea Dye Distress Ink. The maple leaf border was done with a Martha Stewart border punch and the ribbon is my favorite silky rust ribbon. A few Dew Drops in the corner finished it off.

Thanks for dropping by today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Happy Thanksgiving (Inkadinkado)
Paper: Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, Really Rust (SU!); Indian Summer mat stack (DCWV)
Ink: Chocolate Chip (SU!); Tea Dye Distress Ink (Ranger)
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Classic Circle Nestabilities die; 3M foam squares, ribbon (craft store); border punch (Martha Stewart); Dew Drops

Seasons Greetings--Crazy 4 Challenges #4

Happy Saturday! It's time for a new Crazy 4 Challenges challenge. We have another of Cindy Haffner's wonderful sketches for you today:

It's a really fun sketch and so versatile, as you will see when you check out the rest of the DT samples. I chose to do minimal stamping for my card and let the DP do the work--I love it when it works out that way! The mechanics of this card are pretty obvious--but I'd like to point out that the bottom layer of Bravo Burgundy (here I go with more non-traditional Christmas colors!) was run through my Cuttlebug with my new Victorian embossing folder for a little interest. The patterned paper is from a mat stack I got last year by Me and My Big Ideas called Noel. I punched the corners with my Ticket Corner punch and added some flat back pearls to the base elements. The sentiment is from Fourishes' Holiday Greetings set, stamped on Whisper White with Bravo Burgundy ink and cut/embossed with a Nestabilities die. Then I went around the embossed edge with a Copic marker to match Mellow Moss and again right on the paper edge with a marker to match Bravo Burgundy. Some burgundy ribbon and more pearls complete the sketch. Simple but a bit elegant, I'm thinking. And easy. What a combination, right? Add another Christmas card to my stash :)

NOW, be sure to check out the samples by the rest of the Crazy4Challenges team!

Cindy Haffner
Frances Byrne
Jessica Diedrich
Jessie Rone
Joanne Grzelak
Joycelyn Turner
Lori Boyd
Lynda Benden
Mercy Kerin
Robin Willis
Vicki Garrett

THEN, you know what to do--we'd love to have you come along and play with us. Just do your thing with the sketch and link it to Mr. Linky on the Crazy4Challenges blog. Please link directly to your project, and not your blog. And, if you upload to a public gallery, please use the key word C4C4.

Thanks for dropping in today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Holiday Greetings (Flourishes)
Paper: Whisper White, Mellow Moss, Bravo Burgundy (SU!); Noel mat stack (Me and My Big Ideas)
Ink: Bravo Burgundy (SU!)
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Nestabilities die/Victorian embossing folder; 3M foam squares, ribbon, flat back pearls (craft store); Copic markers; Ticket Corner punch (SU!)

Rich Autumn Leaves--Stamp Simply Challenge #106

Where is the time going?! It's time for another Stamp Simply challenge already, LOL! This week Sharon is challenging us to do fall leaves, which suits me just fine--I love fall! Here's what she says:

Rich Autumn Leaves - ssnotime106 - To me the colors of autumn are rich and earthy. Today we will create a project with leaves, and remember we’re easy, so if you don’t have actual leaf images, trees, flowers with leaves, acorns, pine cones, etc. are all OK. But the added element is to make the project rich in color and texture by adding sponging to create that richness and depth of color. I can’t wait to see your gorgeously rich creations today!

And here's what I did. I'm using Mercy's Tuesday Sketch #40--can you believe it? I'm getting it done *before* the last day this time! Yeehaw!! It's a super fun sketch--as usual. I stamped this image from the Lovely As a Tree set on watercolor paper with Chocolate Chip ink. I water colored the trunk with a re-inker and a brush, then I stippled the leaves with a smallish stencil brush--not *exactly* sponging, but pretty close. Next I cut/embossed it with a Classic Circle Nestabilities die and inked around the edge with PTI's Chamomile ink pad and layered it on So Saffron cut/embossed with a Nestabilities Label Four die, also with the edges sponged. Patterned paper is from PTI's First Fruits and Bitty Box Basics and card stock is PTI Ripe Avocado and SU! Really Rust and So Saffron. Did some stitching, more sponging, added a ribbon and bow and some Dew Drops and called it done!

So, now it's your turn. Come along and play and take us up on the challenge--we'd love to see what you come up with. If you do, be sure to leave a comment on Sharon's blog telling her where you uploaded. Please use the keyword ssnotime106 if you upload to a public forum. Check out Sharon's fabulous sample and also the great designs from the Stamp Simply team, along with our September Guest Designer:

Charlene Merrick - September Guest Designer

Julie Koerber

Jennifer Buck

Janine Orchard

A J Otto

Tammy Hershberger

Deb Saarenen

Jenny Gropp

I'm so glad you stopped by today! Be sure to come by tomorrow for the next Crazy4Challenges challenge!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Lovely As a Tree (SU!)
Paper: So Saffron, Really Rust (SU!); First Fruits, Bitty Box Basics, Ripe Avocado (PTI)
Ink: Chocolate Chip, So Saffron, Pumpkin Pie, Really Rust, Kiwi Kiss (SU!); Chamomile (PTI)
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Classic Circle and Label's Four Nestabilities dies; ribbon, 3M foam squares (craft store); Dew Drops; stencil brush; sewing machine

The Purr-fect Gift--My Favorite Things' Sketch Challenge #100!!!

OMGosh!!! Can you believe this is My Favorite Things' Sketch Challenge #100!!?? Wowza! And what a great sketch it is!!! You can find out all the details at MFT Member Company Forum on SCS. This was a super fun card to make. I decided that I'd really better get a move on making Christmas cards, so here's another one.

For this card I chose an older set: Peppermint Cats. Again going with non-traditional colors, I broke out my new Cosmo Cricket Jolly by Golly Mini Deck. I've been itching to use these papers 'cause they're so stinkin' cute! I stamped the image on a Perfect Paper Panel with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored it with Copic markers. I used some Stickles on the stars, some Liquid Applique for the Santa hat fur, and paper pieced the bottom part. I matted the image on a layer cut/embossed with a Nestabilities Label Four die, sponged the edges and popped it up on 3M foam squares. I used a snowflake border punch for the second element (although it's mostly covered up!), some lace for the horizontal elements, and buttons from my stash and PTI twine for the top accents. Lots of distressing--both ink and sanding--on just about all of the elements. I tried to make the sentiment element look like a gift box. Did it work?

We'd love for you to come play along with us. Head on over to the forum and join in the fun--there's a prize for some lucky someone :)

Thanks for dropping in today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Peppermint Cats (MFT)
Paper: Very Vanilla, Sage Shadow, Ruby Red (SU!); Jolly by Golly Mini Deck (Cosmo Cricket; Perfect Paper Panels (MFT)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Antique Linen Distress Ink (Ranger)
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Labels Four Nestabilities die, Square die; 3M foam squares, lace, ribbon (craft store); buttons; twine (PTI); border punch (Martha Stewart)

Christmas Joy--Color Throwdown #61

Are you ready for another Color Throwdown challenge? This week Tammy chose the colors and I love 'em! She chose Regal Rose, Rose Red, Chocolate Chip, More Mustard, and Old Olive.
It's another sponsor week, as well, and this week we're happy to be sponsored by Gina K. and Stamp TV, who has offered up a super generous prize for this week's winner. Check it out at the Throwdown blog for all the details.

I think this is my first Christmas card this year--and it's about time I got started!!! Gina K. generously sent us stamps and I got Christmas Blessings. OMGosh! I love this set! It's primitive Christmas at it's best!!! I just got the new Eskimo Kisses 6 x 6 pad by Basic Grey and wouldn't you know it--it's perfect for these colors and these images! How lucky can you get!? I love non-traditional colors for Christmas (did I already mention that? ;-)) so I immediately decided to do a pink poinsettia. I stamped it four times with Memento Rich Cocoa ink and colored it with Copic markers. I cut out the layers to give it more dimension, each layer popped up on 3M foam squares. Then I added a mustard colored button to the center, tied on with olive embroidery floss, fluffed up a bit to sorta look like the center of a poinsettia--it sorta does, doesn't it? It's cut/embossed with a Classic Circle Nestabilities die and layered up. I also touched up the edges with PTI's Chai tea ink. Card construction is obvious, I'm thinking. I added some olive grosgrain ribbon across the middle and tied on Vintage Buttons with PTI twine. I stamped one word from the sentiment, as the whole thing would have been too large for the space I wanted it in, cut/embossed it with a Spellbinders tag die, sponged the edges with more Chai tea ink and tied it on with more twine. OK, that's one Christmas card for the stash--hey, ya gotta start somewhere, right? ;-)

Remember, you do not have to have the exact colors to play. If you don't, just use the closest you have. And don't forget--this week there's a chance to win a prize or to be chosen as Featured Stamper. Now, c'mon over to the Color Throwdown blog and play along with us this week. Please use Mr. Linky to post your card and please link directly to your card so we can find it easily and so you'll be eligible to win (only directly linked entries will be considered for Featured Stamper or for the prize--see the sidebar on the blog for all the details). If you upload your card to a public forum, please use the keyword CTD61 so we can see your beauty all in one place. Hope to see you there!

Be sure to check out what the other team members have come up with this week!

Broni Holcombe--Splashes of Watercolor
Cathy Indelicato--Crafty Thoughts
Danielle Kennedy--Wild Dragonfly Designs
Tammy Hershberger--Stamp Happy
Kristin Bueter/September Guest Designer--Mindless Creativity
LeAnne Pugliese--Wee Inklings (LeAnne will not be posting on the Throwdown blog on sponsor weeks due to SU! issues, but she'll be playing along on her blog, so please go check out her card and show her some love :))

I'm so glad you dropped in today!

~Recipe~ Stamps: Christmas Blessings (Gina K. Designs)
Paper: Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Regal Rose, Rose Red, Old Olive (SU!); Pure Luxury 80 lb (Gina K.); Eskimo Kisses (Basic Grey)
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Nestabilties/Spellbinders dies; 3M foam squares, ribbon (craft store); Copic markers; Buttons, twine (PTI); DMC emboridery floss

An oldie but goodie

We've been waxing sentimental over at the My Favorite Things' Company Forum on SCS and bringing out some older stamp sets. This week's challenge is to make a card with one of your first MFT stamps. This Annie LaPoint Peppermint stamp was in my very first order. I loved it then and I love it now.

I stamped the image on a Perfect Paper Panel with Memento Rich Cocoa ink and colored it with Copic markers. Then I cut/embossed it with a Classic Oval Nestabilities die and ink distressed the edges with Tea Dye Distress Ink. The patterned paper is from DCWV Latte mat pack, card stock is Certainly Celery and Perfect Plum. I think the card construction is pretty self-explanatory. I punched two holes in the main image for the ribbon, and added two Vintage collection buttons from PTI, tied on with their twine. Simple but nice, I think.

Now, we'd love to see your creations with your first set from MFT. Get the deets at the forum and join us in the blast from the past!

Thanks for stopping by today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Peppermint (Annie LaPoint for MFT)
Paper: Very Vanilla, Perfect Plum, Certainly Celery (SU!); Latte mat stack (DCWV); Perfect Paper Panels (MFT)
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa
Accessories: 3M foam squares, ribbon (craft store); Copic markers; Vintage Buttons, twine (PTI)

BOO to you!!!

Flopsey's a ghost!!! I swear, I cannot get enough of that little bunny! Look at him all dressed up as a ghost! Cracks me up! This set is Who's That Ghost: Flopsey and I'm using My Favorite Things' Sketch Challenge #99 for my layout.

Flopsey was stamped on a Perfect Paper Panel with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored with Copic markers--not much to color on this one, LOL. Flopsey and his little treat bag were cut out and popped up with 3M foam squares. Patterned paper is from Martha Stewart's Halloween collection and card stock is Basic Black, Tangerine Tango, and Old Olive. The sentiment was cut/embossed with Classic Circle Nestabilities dies and has some little black flat-backed pearls for accent.

Come on over to MFT Company Forum at SCS and join in the fun--in addition to the sketch challenge, there's My Favorite Challenge, both of which have a prize.

Thanks for dropping in today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Who's That Ghost: Flopsey (MFT)
Paper: Basic Black, Tangerine Tango, Old Olive (SU!); Halloween Collection (Martha Stewart); Perfect Paper Panels (MFT)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Nestabilities dies; 3M foam squares, ribbon, flat backed pearls (craft store); Copic markers

With Thanks

Happy Sunday!!! Today I've got a card using the new Flourishes set Seasonal Wreaths. I love seasonal stuff so this caught my eye right away. I'm using Mercy's Tuesday Sketch #39, too. This was another fun sketch from Mercy...another one I'll be going back to again and again, I'm sure.

I stamped the sunflower wreath image on Ivory Pure Luxury 80 lb paper with Memento Rich Cocoa ink and colored it with Copic markers. Then I cut/embossed it with a Nestabilities Classic Circle die and matted it with a scalloped circle. Patterned paper is from the Earth Love Mini Deck by Cosmo Cricket and card stock is Soft Suede, Really Rust, and So Saffron. I distressed the edges of card stock with Old Photo Distress Ink and with a sanding block before stitching around the base card and the second element. The buttons are from PTI and tied on with Pearl cotton. The sentiment is from the same set, stamped in the same way as the main image and cut/embossed with a Spellbinders tag die. It was also ink distressed before being attached to the bow with a Making Memories Vintage Findings pin. Another fall card added to my stash!

Thanks for stopping by today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Seasonal Wreaths (Flourishes)
Paper: Soft Suede, Really Rust, and So Saffron (SU!); Earth Love Mini Deck (Cosmo Cricket); Ivory Pure Luxury 80 lb paper (Gina K. Designs)
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa; Old Photo Distress Ink (Ranger)
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Nestabilities/Spellbinders dies; 3M foam squares, ribbon, Pearl cotton (craft store); Copic markers; Vintage Findings (Making Memories); Vintage buttons (PTI)

Happy Fall--Crazy 4 Challenges #3

It's Crazy 4 Challenges time again!!! And we have another rockin' sketch for you from Cindy Haffner. We are thrilled with the response and participation we've gotten--thanks for playing along with us!!

This is such a fun sketch--I know I'll be using this one again and again!!! I decided to make a fall card for this challenge, so I brought out my First Fruits set from PTI. I never got it inked up last year, so it was top priority for this year :)

I inked the wheat image with Really Rust and Close To Cocoa and stamped it on Very Vanilla. Then I stamped the little twine image twice, once with the main image and once to cut out, then popped that one up on a 3M foam square and added a real twine bow. Patterned paper is from the First Fruits collection by PTI and card stock is Chocolate Chip and Really Rust. I did some distressing on each element, both with Tea Dye Ranger Distress Ink and a sanding block, then stitched around. The small brown buttons are Vintage buttons from PTI and the tan one was from my stash, all tied on with twine from PTI. The sentiment was stamped on Very Vanilla with Close To Cocoa and is from the Autumn Tags set by PTI, cut/embossed with a Spellbinders tag die, and tied on with PTI's twine.

NOW, be sure to check out the samples by the rest of the Crazy4Challenges team!

Cindy Haffner
Frances Byrne
Jessica Diedrich
Jessie Rone
Joanne Grzelak
Joycelyn Turner
Lori Boyd
Lynda Benden
Mercy Kerin
Robin Willis
Vicki Garrett

THEN, you know what to do--we'd love to have you come along and play with us. Just do your thing with the sketch and link it to Mr. Linky on the Crazy4Challenges blog. Please link directly to your project, and not your blog. And, if you upload to a public gallery, please use the key word C4C3.

I'm so glad you dropped by today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: First Fruits, (PTI)
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Really Rust, Very Vanilla (SU!); First Fruits (PTI)
Ink: Really Rust, Close To Cocoa (SU!); Tea Dye Distress Ink (Ranger)
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Spellbinders tag die; 3M foam squares, ribbon (craft store); twine, Vintage buttons (PTI)

Clean and Simple and Black Ink Only--Stamp Simply #105

[Did you have fun at the JustRite blog hop yesterday? OMGosh, I did--what fantastic creations and ideas! There's more today, starting at 8:00am EDT, so be sure and stop by the JustRite Blog to get started.]

Now, I have a new Stamp Simply card for you. This week's challenge is CAS (Clean and Simple) and BIO (Black--or Brown--Ink Only). Here's what Sharon says:

Sept. 18 - ssnotime105 - CAS/BIO -- So what's THAT mean? Clean and Simple, Black Ink Only OR Brown Ink Only. So clean and simple in style, with only ONE ink, black or brown, and NO coloring. We've done something similar before, but this time we are adding in the clean and simple element as well and allowing either black or brown ink. ANY papers or embellishmemts are AOK. The idea here is to keep our effort to a minimum by doing CAS and limiting inks and omitting coloring, but allowing our papers and embellishments to give our project the POP and pizzazz. Have fun with this one!

As you may have guessed, I don't do clean and simple very often ;-) But every now and then it's just the ticket. Sadly, I needed another sympathy card for my stash, so I thought this would be a good time to make it--I prefer them to be more on the simple side. My card may not *look* CAS but it is. Again, I've let the patterned paper do most of the work for me. This paper is from the Latte mat stack by DCWV. Not only is it a pretty design on it's own, but that black floral design is on the paper and it's FLOCKED! How perfectly cool is that?! See what I mean--the paper did most of the work for me--a good thing ;-) All I did was punch a slot in the paper, run satin ribbon through it, attach a sentiment (from Flourishes' Thinking of You set) and stick on a few flat backed pearls. And I love it! Hope you do too.

So, now it's your turn. Come along and play and take us up on the challenge--we'd love to see what you come up with. If you do, be sure to leave a comment on Sharon's blog telling her where you uploaded. Please use the keyword ssnotime105 if you upload to a public forum. Check out Sharon's fabulous sample and also the great designs from the Stamp Simply team, along with our September Guest Designer:

Charlene Merrick - September Guest Designer

Julie Koerber

Jennifer Buck

Janine Orchard

A J Otto

Tammy Hershberger

Deb Saarenen

Jenny Gropp

I'm so glad you stopped by today! Be sure to come by tomorrow for the next Crazy4Challenges challenge!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Thinking of You (Flourishes)
Paper: Basic Black, Very Vanilla (SU!); La Creme mat stack (DCWV)
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Classic Oval Nestabilities dies; ribbon, 3M foam squares, flat backed pearls, slot punch (craft store); Ticket Corner punch (SU!)

All About Fonts--JustRite Blog Hop!!!

Welcome to my stop on JustRite Stampers' Mega Font Hop, day one! I am so thrilled to be a part of this fabulous parade of JustRite projects and ideas! The focus of this hop is on FONTS. There are so many things you can do with the various styles and sizes of JustRite fonts--the possibilities are endless!

JustRite is celebrating their Mega Font Hop (a 2 Day Event with 54 designers) in style with a Super7 Day Font Sale. Take 30% off all JustRite font sets and the Horizontal and Vertical Font Stampers. The sale begins September 17th and ends September 24th.

For my first project today, I decided to make myself a set of little Autumn-themed monogrammed note cards. I love fall and I rarely make anything just for me, but these are now sitting on my desk, making me smile every time I look at them. For this project I used a sweet little wooden "bag" I got at Michaels for $1.00--can't beat that, LOL--that I covered inside and out with paper and dressed up! I used the Special Occasion Uppercase and Brayton Uppercase font sets, the 2 1/4" x 3 1/16" Oval Wood Stamper, the Horizontal Wood Stamper, and the Autumn Blessings Borders & Centers.

To get my monogram in the center of the smaller leaf border for the cards, I masked off the center sentiment with Eclipse masking tape, inked it up, removed the tape, and stamped. I know I could have cut the center out of my stamp--I've seen this done before--but I just COULD NOT bring myself to do it! So this was a good compromise. I colored the leaves in both borders with Copic markers.

Then I stamped my monogram in the center, using the horizontal stamping block and my Stamp-a-ma-jig to get it lined up properly. I used the same method to stamp the sentiment inside the card, and I decided on just a simple monogram for the envelope flap. I made 4 little cards and envelopes (I found a tutorial here, but I went one step further and lined my envelopes with patterned paper) and they fit perfectly in this little "bag".


I couldn't resist doing a little Christmas project, too. I love non-traditional Christmas colors, especially pastels. Last year I did some projects for my living room with this Christmas Shimmer Paper collection by Heidi Grace so I decided to do something to match them. I also love candles, so I dressed up a Yankee Candle jar candle.


For this project I used a border from Christmas Joy Borders & Centers Oval 1-3/4” x 2-5/16” the 1-3/4 x 2-5/16" Wood Stamper and the Brayton Uppercase font set. I again masked off part of the border image and added the center sentiment letters before stamping and coloring the holly with Copic markers. I also added a little shimmer with a Sakura glitter pen. I love the vintage look and tried to replicate that on this project by adding a big ole ribbon and bow and some buttons.

The top looked pretty bare, so I dressed it up a little with some Heidi Grace glittered holly leaves and more buttons to serve as berries. I think this candle will look very festive in my living room this year!


There is Mystery Blog Candy being given away during the Two Day Just Rite Font Blog Hop!!! Why is it a Mystery? Well, there will be 3 blog candy giveaways on each day and you can only win by leaving a comment on the right blog! The real surprise is you won't know which blog has the candy.....even the designer doesn't know! So as you visit each of the 54 designers over the two day event take time to leave a comment.....who knows, the lucky winner may be you!!!!! You have until Sunday at noon to leave a comment for your chance to win. Then check back at the JustRite Blog on Sunday evening to find out who won!!!! Enjoy the Hop.

Now check out these fabulous day one designers!! And start at the Just Rite blog tomorrow for the day two list!

JustRite
Michelle Wooderson
Sankari Wegman
Heidi Blankenship
Eva Dobilas
Beate Johns
Sharon Harnist
Sharon Johnson
Deb Saaranen
Becca Feeken
Kazan Clark
Lauren Meader
Tammy Hershberger
Linda Beeson
Jenny Gropp
Lori Craig
Tanis Giesbrecht
Jenn Balcer
Lisa Somerville
Karen Maldonado
Pamela Smerker
Karen Taylor
Latisha Yoast
Julie Overby
Mary Pfaff

I'm so glad you dropped in today!

~Fall Project Recipe~
Stamps: Autumn Blessings Borders & Centers (JustRite)
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, Pumpkin Pie (SU!); Autumn Abundance (Papertrey Ink)
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa; Tea Dye Distress Ink (Ranger)
Accessories: Cuttlebug, Classic Oval, Classic Scalloped Oval, Square and Scalloped Square Nestabilities dies; 3M foam squares, ribbon, wooden "bag" (craft store); Copic markers; glue stick

~Christmas Project Recipe~
Stamps: Brayton Uppercase Font, Christmas Joy Borders and Centers, Oval (JustRite)
Paper: Sage Shadow, Regal Rose, Whisper White (SU!); Christmas Words Shimmer paper (Heidi Grace)
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Nestabilites Oval dies; Perle cotton, 3M foam squares, ribbon (craft store); Copic markers; Vintage buttons (PTI); glitter leaves (Heidi Grace); Sakura glitter pen

Simon Says...Frog!! Color Throwdown #60

It's another Color Throwdown day! LeAnne is hosting this week and here are the colors she chose for this week's challenge: Bermuda Bay, Green Galore, and Barely Banana.



Our sponsor this week is Simon Says Stamp! and they are generously offering a $20 gift certificate to one lucky participant, with free shipping! See the Throwdown blog for all the deets!

I must say that at first, these colors threw me. But as I was looking through paper for *some* glimmer of inspiration, I ran across this pattern from Basic Grey's Lime Ricky collection. I immediately thought of a pixillated image or mosaic of sunlight on water. Frogs go with water so I ran with it.

I stamped this little frog image on Pure Luxury 80lb paper with Memento Tuxedo Black ink, colored him with Copic markers, and cut him out. The lily pads were stamped on Green Galore paper with the same ink and cut out, as well. It's hard to see, but the ribbon has green in it, which ties all the colors together. I'm loving how this turned out!

Remember, you do not have to have the exact colors to play. If you don't, just use the closest you have. And don't forget--this week there's a chance to win a prize or to be chosen as Featured Stamper. Now, c'mon over to the Color Throwdown blog and play along with us this week. Please use Mr. Linky to post your card and please link directly to your card so we can find it easily and so you'll be eligible to win (only directly linked entries will be considered for Featured Stamper or for the prize--see the sidebar on the blog for all the details). If you upload your card to a public forum, please use the keyword CTD60 so we can see your beauty all in one place. Hope to see you there!

Be sure to check out what the other team members have come up with this week!

Broni Holcombe--Splashes of Watercolor
Cathy Indelicato--Crafty Thoughts
Danielle Kennedy--Wild Dragonfly Designs
LeAnne Pugliese--Wee Inklings
Tammy Hershberger--Stamp Happy
Kristin Bueter/September Guest Designer--Mindless Creativity

I'm so glad you dropped in today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Simon Says Stamp!
Paper: Whisper White, Barely Banana, Green Galore, and Bermuda Bay (SU!); Pure Luxury 80 lb (Gina K.); Lime Ricky (Basic Grey)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: 3M foam squares, ribbon, flat back pearls (craft store); Copic markers; border punch (Martha Stewart)

Coffee? Tea?

I have another MFT September release card to share with you today from Coffee? Tea? Love this sentiment--I'm sure I'll need a belated *something* card some time so I'll keep this in my stash ;-)

The main image was stamped on a Perfect Paper Panel with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored with Copic markers--expect WTG's dress, which was paper pieced. Patterned paper is from Graphic 45's Transatlantique Collection and cardstock is Night Of Navy and Summer Sun. I think the rest is pretty self explanatory.

Don't forget tomorrow is Color Throwdown day. And I'm SO excited to be able to tell you that I'm participating in a mega Just Rite Stampers blog hop on Thursday! There are 54 super talented stampers spreading their goodness over two days, so be sure and stop by!

Thanks for dropping in today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Coffee? Tea? (MFT)
Paper: Night Of Navy, Summer Sun (SU!); Transatlantique Collection (Graphic 45); Perfect Paper Panels (MFT)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Petite Oval Nestabilities dies; 3M foam squares, ribbon, flat back gold beads (craft store); Copic markers; border punch (Martha Stewart)

Trick or Treat with WTG--and Flopsey!

I just love this set! I mean, WTG *and* Flopsey on the same set? What's not to love?! Isn't that little trick or treater dressed as Flopsey the cutest?!

Trick or Treat with WTG is the name of the set. I stamped the main image on a Perfect Paper Panel with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored it with Copic markers. The DP is from a Debbie Mumm holiday mat stack from last year, card stock is Basic Black, Only Orange, and Elegant Eggplant. The sentiment was cut/embossed with a Petite Oval Nestabilities die, sponged with Elegant Eggplant while it was still in the die, and matted with a Petite Oval Scallop. I wrapped my favorite purple ribbon around, tied a bow, and dangled a Halloween charm from the bow.

Thanks for dropping by today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Trick or Treat with WTG (MFT)
Paper: Basic Black, Only Orange, Elegant Eggplant (SU!); Debbie Mumm Holiday mat stack; Perfect Paper Panels (MFT)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: 3M foam squares, ribbon, Perle cotton (craft store); border punch (Martha Stuart); charm (Making Memories); Copic markers

Totally Witchin'--MTSC #38

First of all, can I say I love this card? 'Cause I do, LOL!! First of all, this set, Totally Witchin' is so stinkin' cute!! And Mercy's Tuesday Sketch #38 is rockin'! And I love how I cut out that spider web! And... OK, I'll stop now ;-)

I stamped the image on a Perfect Paper Panel with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored it with Copic markers. Paper is Cosmo Cricket "Haunted" and card stock is Basic Black and More Mustard. I think most of it is pretty obvious, but I wanted to point out that for the spider web, I stamped it on More Mustard with Versamark and heat embossed it with black detail embossing powder. I felt this would give it a little more strength for the next step: cutting out the spaces with a craft knife. I held my breath almost the entire time, LOL--I just knew I'd get almost done and slip up. But happlily, I finished it up without mishap :) The spider was done with a punch, and I added golden jewels for eyes. I also added black metal brads--which is for My Favorite Things My Favorite Challenge #16--to use metal on the project. Can I say it again? I love it ;-)

I'm so glad you dropped by today--I hope you like this card as much as I do!

~Recipe~
Stamps: Totally Witchin' (MFT)
Paper: Basic Black, More Mustard (SU!); Haunted (Cosmo Cricket); Perfect Paper Panels (MFT)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Spellbinders label tag die; 3M foam squares, ribbon, Perle cotton, brads, jewels (craft store); Copic markers; black detail embossing powder, heat gun; Embossing Buddy (SU!), craft knife; spider punch (Martha Stewart)

Best Witches--Crazy4Challenges #2

Are you ready for another Crazy4Challenges challenge?! Today we have another rockin' sketch by Cindy Haffner, this month's hostess.

This was a totally fun card to make--and so easy!!! I love it--two minimally or no stamping cards in two days! I got this set of Crafty Secrets Halloween Journal Notes several weeks ago from Sharon Johnson's store and thought it was time to bring it out. These witches just crack me up!!! The neutral tones sort of dictated my color scheme to an extent, but I added Rich Razzleberry to spice it up a bit. I cut out the image and distressed the edges a bit before matting it with Rich Razzleberry, Basic Black, and Sahara Sand. The base card mechanics should be pretty easy to figure out. The sentiment is from the same Journal Note, and as you can see, the lines for writing start right under it. So I decided to incorporate them as a guide for my Dew Drop accent. I cut the sentiment out with a Nestabilities Petite Oval die and matted it with a scalloped Rich Razzleberry layer. Ribbon is from My Favorite Thing's Royalty Collection Ribbon Nest. I love how this card turned out and hope you do too! It was so easy--I'll be using more of these Journal Notes!

NOW, be sure to check out the samples by the rest of the Crazy4Challenges team!

Cindy Haffner
Frances Byrne
Jessica Diedrich
Jessie Rone
Joanne Grzelak
Joycelyn Turner
Lori Boyd
Lynda Benden
Mercy Kerin
Robin Willis
Vicki Garrett

THEN, we'd love to have you come along and play with us. Just do your thing with the sketch and link it to Mr. Linky on the Crazy4Challenges blog. Please link directly to your project, and not your blog. And, if you upload to a public gallery, please use the key word C4C2.

I'm so glad you dropped by today!

~Recipe~
Stamps: None
Paper: Basic Black, Rich Razzleberry, Sahara Sand (SU!); Halloween mat stack (Recollections)
Ink: None
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Nestabilities; 3M foam squares (craft store); Dew Drops; Royalty Ribbon Nest (MFT); Halloween Journal Notes (Crafty Secrets)