Come and Play

Have you played in the TCP Tuesday Challenge, yet? Sony, the Hostess with the Mostess is challenging you to use the yummy ice cream colors above. Pink, Chocolate Brown and Teal. That's Strawberry, Chocolate and Pistachio in ice cream talk.

Need some inspiration? Check out Amy, Leigh, Julie and Jackie!

Want more deets about the challenge? Check out the post below. And when you are done playing, don't forget to upload your creation to the guestbook/slideshow.

TCP Tuesday 147

Sony is the Hostess with the Mostess this week.

And she is doing the color challenge this week. She is challenging you to create something using the colors Pink, Chocolate Brown and Teal! WhEEE! I don't know about you, but I'm thinking ICE CREAM! Strawberry, Chocolate and Pistachio. And with the weather we are having, I'm wishing for the days when it is warm enough to have above mentioned ice cream.

I'm still drawing, but you can I'll playing with this sweet selection of colors. Check back this week to see what the other members of the Cat Pack and I have come up with.

In the meantime, want to see some absolutely delicious cards?

Check out
Susan for this week's and last week's challenge. SWEEET!
Carole
Jen
Tori
Sony

Want to play in this week's challenge? Here are the Deets.

1. Each Tuesday we will give you a challenge.
2. You will have until the end of the month to complete the challenge.
3. Add your entry to the guestbook or upload to the SCS Gallery, using the keyword TCPTUES147 for this week's challenge.
4. TCP stamps are not required, but of course, highly encouraged. {Unless it is a challenge calling for a specific stamp}
5. There will be one winner, The Swanky Stamper, announced the 1st of each month. They will win $25 in Cat’s Cash to spend at The Cat's Pajamas.

Pick of the Litter

It's stormy outside so it's the perfect kind of day for drawing. I'm about 70% through with the images for the next release. And I must say, they are awfully cute. And the dies, well, to die for.

There are so many awesome cards and projects made with The Cat's Pajamas stamps and CutUps that we have to share with you. The Cat Pack and I picked the most inspiring, awesome cards from the past week and past week's TCP Tuesday Challenges.

So, if you are in need of some eye candy, click on over to our SplitcoastStampers forum and take a look at the Pick of the Litter thread. Not on SplitcoastStampers, then check out our Facebook page. Not on either? Well, honey, get with the program!

Now. Back to the drawing board.

So, check it out.

TCP Tuesday 146

Julie is the Hostess with the Mostess this week. She is taking over the technique/supply challenge and this week she is challenging you to do something sweet. That is to make something and incorporate candy in it.

With Valentine's Day over and Easter on its way, now is the perfect time to stock up on candy. Er... use candy in your papercrafts.

Want to see some sweet examples?

Check out
Sony
Amy
Toni
Tori
Leigh
Jen
Julie

Want to play in this week's challenge? Here are the Deets.

1. Each Tuesday we will give you a challenge.
2. You will have until the end of the month to complete the challenge.
3. Add your entry to the guestbook at the bottom of the page or upload to the SCS Gallery, using the keyword TCPTUES146 for this week's challenge.
4. TCP stamps are not required, but of course, highly encouraged. {Unless it is a challenge calling for a specific stamp}
5. There will be one winner, The Swanky Stamper, announced the 1st of each month. They will win $25 in Cat’s Cash to spend at The Cat's Pajamas.

Pick of the Litter

Happy Valentine's Day, Everyone.

This Valentine's Day we are starting a new feature at The Cat's Pajamas. The Pick of the Litter.

We've been seeing so many truly wonderful Cat's Pajamas creations on the web, that we feel blessed and awed that you are using our Cat's Pajamas Stamps, and CutUps Dies! So we thought that we'd pick one each weekday to share with you.

Cards and projects that amaze and inspire us. Our Pick of the Litter, if you will.

Come and join us each weekday on our SplitcoastStampers Forum, or on our Facebook page to see that day's Pick of the Litter. We think you'll be amazed and inspired, too.

TCP Tuesday 145

Jen really inspired me this week. Her collage of photos were awesome. I took one look at those aqua and brown....WHA? Aqua and Brown? For some reason, I thought it was BLUE and Brown, when I made up my design. And it wasn't until I read Lisa T's comment,

OOH!! I love aqua and brown together. Can't wait to check out the DT cards and then play along with this challenge!

that I realized that the colors were Aqua and Brown. It's a little embarrassing, but I love my project, so I'm going to go with it. But I think you can really see where I was inspired.


I decided to do something a little crafty this week. And channeling my inner Leigh, I actually sewed! (gasp) And not only did I sew, I sewed something that I can use when sewing. This cute flowerpot is a pincushion. And the flowers? PINS! Yup, that's right, pins.

I use the Icing CutUps to decorate the flowerpot. And the Flower Button CutUps and the Button CutUps to make my flowers.

I am so proud of this project, even though it is a little lopsided. Betz White, felting crafter extraordinare, designed this flowerpot project, so I can't show you how to make the flowerpot, But I can tell you how to make the flower pins.

I did three different types of pins. For some of the pins I stacked a button and felt flowers together and tied them together with Divine Twine. Then, I took a pin with a flat top and bent it.


Sorry for the slightly out of focus picture, but you get the idea. Then I glued it to the back of the flower and covered it with a green felt leaf.


For another type of flower, the one in the right front and right back, I used these buttons.


You know, the ones that you find in your button jar and exclaim "Why buttons with one hole? Who uses these? "

Well, my friend, for this project, you do. Just fish those buttons out. Stack your flowers together and run a pin through the button and the flowers and attach a leaf. Voila. Instant flower. I dabbed a bit of glue under the pinhead and between the flowers and leaf to make it stick better.


The third and smallest pin used the Button CutUps die, simply because I could. I used the largest button and clipped a slit to one of the buttonholes. Then I rolled it into a cone and glued it. Then I glued a leaf to cover the seam. A pin with a little bit of glue pierced the center of the flower to finish.


Pretty cool, no? Hope I inspired you!

Now go make something.

TCP Tuesday 145 and a WELCOME!

Do you you remember this card? This card was the card that decided the Swanky Stamper for September last year.

It was this card that caught my attention and kept it. Kept me coming back to see what the designer of the card was doing. The designer? Tori Wild.

Not only did she keep my interest, but the gal impressed me with her stamping style. Her attention to detail and her awesome design sense. And what she does with our stamps? Breathtaking.

When a spot opened up on The Cat Pack and a spot opened up on Tori's side, I knew it had to be. So I asked her to join The Cat Pack. And, I'm delighted that she said "Yes".

There are going to be some pretty great things coming from Tori! Are you ready?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And now onto TCP Tuesday!

We are making some changes to TCP Tuesday, and to make things a little less confusing, think of this blog as the "base" of TCP Tuesday.

Come here to hear what the challenge is, load your cards to the guestbook (back by popular demand) and read who the challenge winner is each month. And if you want the knitty gritty of how to win, here is the place to be.

One of the changes is that Jen is taking the reins of the Inspiration Challenge. Yessiree, Jen is the hostess this time and boy, does she have some inspiration to give you.


Take a look at this eye candy. What do you take from these photos? Of course, I see food. I always see food. And wonderful circles and stripes of luscious browns and blues. I know I'm going to have to play this week.

Want to see who played along so far?

Susan Liles
Leigh O'Brien
Jackie Pedro
Sonja Christoph
Tori Wild
Julie Masse
Amy Rohl
Jen del Muro

And there just might be a couple more.

Upload your challenge cards here.

Want to play in this week's challenge? Here are the Deets.

1. Each Tuesday we will give you a challenge.
2. You will have until the end of the month to complete the challenge.
3. Add your entry to the guestbook at the bottom of the page or upload to the SCS Gallery, using the keyword TCPTUES145 for this week's challenge.
4. TCP stamps are not required, but of course, highly encouraged. {Unless it is a challenge calling for a specific stamp}
5. There will be one winner, The Swanky Stamper, announced the 1st of each month. They will win $25 in Cat’s Cash to spend at The Cat's Pajamas.

Makes you want a broken leg

Did you all spot this bright and happy card on Sony's Blog? She has a dear friend who has broken her ankle and she will be the lucky recipient of this card. I have it on good authority that that good friend is none other than fellow Cat Packer, Julie Masse. Getting cards like this almost make you wish for a broken leg.

Oh, come on! I said almost!

I want to thank all of you who commented on my kitty bites and scratches and told me to keep an eye on them. When I got each comment, I looked them over, and poked and prodded. They seemed okay and then I got Linda's comment later in the day.

Don't let the puffiness on your hand and ARM go however. My husband was bit by a cat (he was kitty sitting for some good friends and he attempted to grab a kitty that was being chased by a dog) and a couple of days later we were taking him to the ER as it got infected so bad. In fact, you should just go now so we won't worry about you.

I was touched. Then I looked down at my arm and the puffiness had grown, and now there was redness and tenderness. So, I did what Linda said, what you all said, and took myself to the ER.

3.5 hours in the waiting room and 4 in the actual room, a tetanus shot, two x-rays, and a big ol' antibiotic pill later, the doctor said that it was a good thing that I came in early— any later, it could have been worse.

Apparently, Cat bites and scratches are worse than dog bites cause they actually go deeper than you think and bring in bacteria or fungus or something and can really cause problems.

So, I'm to keep and eye on the bite and go in in two days for the doctor to check it. And, yes, there are more antibiotics to take in the meantime.

Thank you all for taking good care of me and watching out for me. You guys are the bestest!

My TCP Tuesday and an Update

I finally got a chance to finish the card I was working on for TCP Tuesday. Leigh, was the Hostess with the Mostess for the Sketch challenge. And this is what I came up with. I channeled a little Amy in this, too!

I wanted to say "Thank Ewe" but we didn't have a saying like that, so I made it by stacking the "Ewe" from our Sheepish Set, and the "Thank" from the Tutu Much Set one top of one another. I think they work pretty darn well together.

Some of you have asked me how I get my sheep puffy looking and how to do paper piecing. Since I did both of those techniques on this card, I thought I'd show you.


First, I stamped the sheep out with Marvy Black ink. Since I'm going to be using Copic Markers, I want to make sure that I use an ink that doesn't react to the Copics and bleed all over the place. Tracy, told me about Marvy Black, which is a dye ink, and I think it gets a pretty good impression with the polymer stamps.

Then I used C-1, C-3, and C-5, in that order, to color the sheep. Then I went back over the colors with the C-1 to blend a bit more.


Using the Marvy ink I stamped the scarf, and pockets on a scrap of patterned paper, and colored in with the same gray markers. I used manicure scissors to cut right on the black ink line of the stamped image.


I used glue stick to attach the pieces to the lamb. Why glue stick? Because, I'll be using a heat gun later on and if I used tape, it might buckle when heated up.

So next, I apply the Liquid Applique. It's getting a little hard to find Liquid Applique, but I've found that Puffy paint by Tulip works just a well. And I've found it at Michael's. You can see from the picture that I've swirled it around a bit, just so that it can have some texture. You can get a little control of how much it puffs and how it puffs depending on how thick you put it on, and how long it drys before you puff it. The more it drys, the less it will puff.


Take a heat gun and hold it about 6" from the Liquid Applique and wave it across the surface until it puffs. It takes a minute or so. Remember to keep moving the heat gun because it can burn. If you need more puff, you can add more and repuff.


I want to also mention that when making this card, the puff wasn't completely dry when I tried to attach it to the card, but, because it was still wet, I could repuff it a bit.

ALERT! BLOODY PICTURES BELOW!

Thank you for all your comments on my kitty attack. Poor thing is a rescue kitty and has been known to bite before and that has landed her in the shelter. We haven't had any real problems with her after the 1st year we had her. After she let go of my arm I found her hiding in the garage. I'm sure she thought we'd give her up. Not so. If you have a cat, you know they've got claws. We all do.

So this is a picture of my non- stamping hand. You can't see the big ole claw mark on my thumb, but I feel it.


Here are Mocha's fang marks, upper and lower, when she bit into my arm and hung on. 14 lbs of cat hanging from my arm. Yes, there is bruising. Definitely, keeping an eye on these.


Then this last one on the underside of my arm. Not deep, but it looks bad. I'll heal. Just as long as there is a kitty around to cuddle.

Handy Tip

Sometimes, I really think that I should know better. So here goes.

Don't touch a cat who is posturing for another cat. It doesn't matter if the tail has not poofed. You will freak out the otherwise loving kitty and force her to open her mighty jaws and sink them into your soft and meaty arm flesh.

While she hangs on with her teeth, it's now a perfect opportunity to rake her needle sharp claws down the rest of the arm and hand while bringing her back feet up to do the same.

Don't do this if you are in the middle of making a lovely Thank You card, as you won't be able to finish it because it will take a really long time to stop the bleeding.

Don't ask me how I know these things.

Swanky Stamper of the Month

It was another hard month over here at The Cat's Pajamas. Hard, because we had soooo many really stand out cards to choose from to award the coveted title of Swanky Stamper of the Month.

Take a look at some of the awesome entries that came in to meet the TCP Tuesday Challenges.



Noelle McAdams did this card for the Technique/Supply challenge. The challenge was to use ribbon in a different way. No BOWS! Don't you just love this? Such a pretty, girly card, and perfect with one of the bunnies from our Tutu Much set. I love the ruffles the ribbon make at the bottom of the card. Like petticoats peeking out from under a skirt.


Nancy Thomas created this card for the same challenge. She used ribbons as the rays of the sun. And the whale from our Whale of a Time set looks pretty happy jumping around in all that water created from our Wave CutUps Die. Such a sweet card, and such a different way to use ribbon.

And here is another other card for the same challenge that just blew me away. Lori Tecler used the Whale of a Time set for this card and even gives a how-to on creating that awesome wave that spills out onto the rest of her card.


Jodi Collins stamped up this pretty little card for the Color Challenge. The challenge asked you to use the colors, Black, red, kraft or white and yellow. Jodi used one of our newest sets Got Love and when I saw this card I said the exact same thing. "Hello Gorgeous"


And then there is this stunning card by Jenny Peterson for the Color Challenge. She uses our Pennant Cutups, our Inside Pinking CutUps and our Big Scallop CutUps , AND the Bear, from our Big Bear set. I just LOVE this card.

And, did I mention that she did the inside, too?


Such a beauty of a card. I know I'm going to be casing this card, for sure.


And then, Chris Veneruso dances into my heart with this stunner. She uses It had to be Mew to dazzle us with her entry for the Stamp Challenge. The challenge was to use any stamp with "love" or "heart". And I fell in love with her paper choice and that ruffled ribbon.

Such a tough decision, you see, to pick just one. But, I knew it had to be done.


Jenny Peterson — Swanky Stamper of the Month for February.

This was Jenny's entry for the Stamp Challenge. She uses Like You A Latte for the sentiment and her main image. I love that she scattered various sizes hearts and stitched them in that drapey way. I love the papers she chose and the raincoat on that little fella. And the hair. Wow that hair is to die for. But I think I love that covered button with the Divine Twine the most. Right now, that is. There is lots to love about this card, and I love each and every bit of it.

Project of the Month

Be My Honey, Valentine Pouch

You may or may not have seen this great project by Amy Rohl given the breakneck speed we showed samples during Sneaky Peek Week, but when I saw it, I knew it had to be the February Project of the Month.

Simple to make with your kids, its design is sophisticated enough to be adapted for Halloween, Easter, Baby and Bridal Showers. Can't you see this pouch holding a daisy stem or two? Precious.

Download the instructions for FREE on our website. It's our February Project of the Month.