Just Us Girls #613 - Word Week

Happy New Year everyone!  I hope you all had a very happy and healthy holiday.  Ours was very nice, but quiet, and while 2021 wasn't the best year, it still was a good year for us.  We welcomed a new great-nephew in August which was the highlight for us!

I'm happy to be getting inky again after making a bunch of Christmas cards and taking the week off after Christmas from crafting.  I've been playing my keyboard a lot, getting reacquainted with it after a very long time.  This week over at Just Us Girls is our Word Week.  Nancy chose BEVERAGE.

 

So since today is New Year's Day, I had to make a Happy New Year's card.  I started by making the foldable shaker tag from black cardstock with a circle cut out of one side.  I added a piece of acetate and stars to create the shaker.  The front of the tag was stamped with fireworks stamps in Versamark ink and heat embossed with gold embossing powder.  I added gold ribbon and twine, the sentiment die cut from gold cardstock, and a glass of what I'm hoping you see as champagne in keeping with the word challenge!

I was going to stop there.  In fact, I took the picture thinking I was done.  Then yesterday, I thought it needed to be on a card.  So I hot foiled a background with gold foil and mounted that on a black piece of cardstock.  I added the tag to it and some gold sequins.  

There's lots of announcements over on the JUGs blog.  We've added two new designers:  Lisa Elton and Carol McFarland.  Welcome to JUGs!  We are so happy to have them joining our team.

We also have two guest designers this month (because we took December off).  We welcome Stef Perry and Chrissie Stokes as guests for the month of January!

Thanks for stopping by!

Recipe

Stamps:  Adult Beverages (SSS), Fireworks (MFT)

Paper:  Black, acetate, gold, recollections white

Ink:  Memento tuxedo black, Versamark, copics

Accessories:  Foldable Shaker Tag die (Pink Fresh), Adult Beverages die (SSS), Cheers die (MFT), Abstract Triangles hot foil plate (Pink Fresh), gold hot foil, gold embossing powder, stars, gold ribbon and twine, shimmer

Just Us Girls - Sketch Challenge

Happy Saturday everyone...my favorite day of the week because it's the beginning of the weekend and a Just Us Girls challenge day! I LOVE my JUGs challenges...don't you? It's the first Saturday of March (already?) and a new month of challenges and a new guest designer.

The first Saturday is always a sketch challenge, and the divine Dana Gustafson has a great one for us today!

It's also a special week because we have a new sponsor. A brand new company called WPlus9 Design Studio. The JUGS girls are featuring their first 4 new stamp sets. I was given a set called Love Birds to work with and it was so fun to use! These are very good quality acrylic stamps.

I wanted to use this Basic Grey dp called Origins that my good stamping friend, Cheryl Rowley, gifted to me along with some great images to color and use! Such a sweet gift! I liked this paper because it had the colors I wanted to use in it: yellow for the birds, brown for the tree limb, and green for the leaves. The birds were colored with a Summer Sun marker, stamped and cut out. I then sponged Close to Cocoa around the edge to tone it down a bit and give it some definition. They are popped up on the limb. The leaves are a cluster of hearts that comes with the set. (This set can definitely be used for Valentine's Day!) I added star dust stickles to the leaves for the sparkle I love so much! The sentiment was stamped in the same Certainly Celery as the leaves, and I added some Kaiser pearls underneath it. The strip of flowers was created using an EK Success punch (love that one!) in Summer Sun. The ribbon is a strip of Certainly Celery twill from SU's Sale-a-bration last year. I used a decorative edge punch for the corners. That's it!

Would you like to win two sets of your choice from WPlus9 Design Studio? Enter a card on the JUGs blog using the sketch and you could win!

And since it's the first Saturday of the month, we have a new guest designer...Stephanie Kraft. She has faithfully played in the JUGs challenges and has such a lovely style. Please welcome her. I also hope you stop by the JUGs blog to see what the girls have done. Here are the links to the DT blogs so you can stop by and say hello.

Kristin Bueter
Pam Imholz
Alicia Weiman
Dana Gustafson
Maria Levine
Mona Pendleton
Tracey Cuccia

Stephanie Kraft, March Guest Designer

Thanks for stopping in again today and enjoy your weekend!

Recipe

Stamps: Love Birds (WPlus9 Designs)

Paper: Neenah white, summer sun, certainly celery, Origins dp (Basic Grey)

Ink: Chocolate chip, certainly celery, close to cocoa

SU markers: Summer sun, only orange, close to cocoa

Accessories: Nesties, EK Success flower border punch, certainly celery twill ribbon, Kaiser pearls, decorative corner punch, star dust stickles, dimensionals

Just Us Girls Challenge - Sew Easy!

Hello again! It's Saturday! Time for another Just Us Girls challenge! Today, Mona has a challenge that is "sew" easy! That's right...the challenge is to sew on your card. Now Mona is the queen of this technique, if you've ever seen any of her beautiful cards! You can use any kind of sewing for this challenge too. Machine sewing, hand sewing, and even faux stitching!If you don't know what faux stitching is, you can get instructions on SCS with this tutorial. It's very easy and I really like that technique. (You can also see how I used it on this card.) However, I recenly purchased a cheap Pixie Craft Sewing Machine by Singer at Walmart before Christmas. It was on sale for about $35, so I thought I'd give it a try. Let me tell you it works like a charm! Look what I did with it.I've had this jeans pocket stamp (yes that's a stamp, not real jeans!) from my LSS one day while I was standing in line. It just called to me to pick it up...and I did and this is the first time I'm using it! The stamp is from Judi Kins and I inked it with Faded Jeans Distress Ink from Ranger/Tim Holtz. It really is the color of faded jeans...amazing! When I took my sewing machine out of the box, it was already threaded with yellow thread. Perfect, since jeans usually have yellow stitching. So I went to work following the stitch lines on the pocket. Here's a closeup of it. I really like the way it came out...it looks so real! The dp is Basic Grey's Bittersweet, and I paired it with Regal Rose. I sewed the dp to the cardstock with one of the three zig-zag stitches on the machine. I ran the white mat through the Swiss Dots cuttlebug folder. The sentiment is from Artful INKables newest set called Love Ya Lots. Love that sentiment! Those hearts coming out of the pocket is something I picked up at Target's dollar spot probably 3 years ago! They were connected together, but when I took them out of the box, they all came apart. So I had to manipulate them into the pocket and I added a tiny piece of ribbon to match the bow on top. Those little hearts on the sentiment tag are from the Martha Stewart heart border punch. It's the little confetti that is left after punching.

I'm pretty happy with the way this came out. It was just what I imagined when I was thinking all day about what I was going to do, which rarely happens, right?

The JUGs team would like to see what you do with your sewing project. We know lots of you like this technique because we see it a lot out there. But if you are new to this technique, try it...you'll love it! The faux stitching is great too. So please stop by the JUGs blog and see what the other DT members have done with this technique. You can also go to their personal blogs to read about how they created their cards to get more inspiration.

Kristin Bueter
Pam Imholz
Alicia Weiman
Dana Gustafson
Maria Levine
Mona Pendleton
Tracey Cuccia

Thanks for stopping in today and enjoy your weekend!

Just Us Girls Sketch Challenge

Happy New Year everyone! I hope this year brings everything your heart desires!

Today is Saturday and that means a challenge from Just Us Girls. It's the very first JUGs challenge of 2010 and I'm the hostess! It just so happens to be a sketch challenge, which is my nemesis because I am sketch-challenged! But I managed to pull off a sketch for you that the girls really rocked! Here is the sketch.
So what do you think? Did I do a good job and do you think you can work with it? I have total confidence in you! LOL!! Here's what I did with the sketch (which I flipped on its side to accommodate my image).I purchased this stamp last year from Alota Rubber Stamps because I didn't have any fun New Year's images. I actually purchased another, but it really didn't work with this sketch. I started with my dp, which is a new digital one from Lauren Meader's new store, My Time Made Easy, which was designed by my friend and fellow JUGs DT member Kristin Bueter. It's Magenta and Tan stipes, which matched really well with SU's Riding Hood Red and Sahara Sand. The glass, ribbon, and confetti are all part of one stamp, but I cut them apart so that they could be placed where I needed them to be. The ribbon is on dimensionals, but not the confetti (too small for that!). I covered them with Platinum and Star Dust Stickles. The glass was covered with Crystal Effects and was very wet when I took the picture! Here's a closeup of the glass so you can see the shine from the CE.I only have one stamp (I think!) that says "Happy New Year", but it was too big. So, I created this on my computer.

You can see the cards the girls created and the details of the challenge on the JUGs blog. But you can also go to the girls' personal blogs to read more about their cards too! We have a guest designer for January, who totally by coincidence is my new fellow Paper Makeup Stamps DT member Gabby Arriaza. So please stop by and leave them some wonderful comments.

Kristin Bueter
Pam Imholz
Alicia Weiman
Dana Gustafson
Maria Levine
Mona Pendleton
Tracey Cuccia

Gabby Arriaza, guest designer

I hope you have a chance to play! I'll be making sure I comment all week, so I will see your card if you do one! Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!

Just Us Girls Template Challenge

The Just Us Girls team has a great template challenge for you today. DT member Dana Gustafson has secured templates from Kelleigh Ratzlaff Designs from The Digichick Shop for us to use today, as well as great blog candy from them for you! Check out the details on the JUGS blog.

I used the Triangle Tube template for my project today. Dana also issued a bonus challenge to use blue.

I started with Blue Bayou cardstock and printed the template right on my printer. The dp is from Graphic 45. I cut the edges with a Martha Stewart border punch and added the pearls. I put the tassels on the ends sort of as a handle to open the box. You can just pull it to open it and find the goodies inside! The ribbon is satin and was a Walmart find!

The JUGs design team have done some fabulous things with these templates. You can see them all on the JUGs blog, but please stop by their blogs and read about them.

Kristin Bueter
Pam Imholz
Alicia Weiman
Dana Gustafson
Maria Levine
Mona Pendleton
Tracey Cuccia

Thanks for stopping by today! Have a great weekend!

Just Us Girls Color Challenge

Happy Saturday everyone! The Just Us Girls team has a wonderful color challenge for you today conjured up by the lovely and talented Tracey. Raspberry, green, red, and kraft are they colors she chose.I received this beautiful image from Silke Ledlow. We swapped some stamped images recently, and I was so thrilled to receive this beautiful wreath from the Flourishes set called Christmas Wreath. I immediately sat down one afternoon to color it, not with this challenge in mind, but rather with this dp in mind. Then it was so close to Tracey's colors, I decided to use it for this challenge. You can't see the red, but there are red stickles on the very tiny berries in the wreath. It took me an hour to color this, and then I colored another! I used 23 copic markers in all that I did not write down! The sentiment is also one from Flourishes that Silke sent to me.

I made two of these easel cards and I'm giving them to my mom and in-laws. My MIL likes these easel cards because she says my cards are too heavy and fall too easily! So this easel card is perfect!

I do hope you stop by the JUGs blog to see the details of the challenge and see the beautiful cards the girls came up with once again. Below is a link to each of their blogs, so stop by and give them some love! And give an extra congrats to Kristin, Pam, Mona, and Tracey for being asked to be on Lauren Meader's new design team! There is some exciting stuff going on over there and these girls have been busy helping Lauren get it up and running! Congrats girls!

Kristin Bueter
Pam Imholz
Alicia Weiman
Dana Gustafson
Maria Levine
Mona Pendleton
Tracey Cuccia

Thanks for stopping in and don't forget to stop by the JUGs blog and play this week! Happy Holidays!

Recipe

Stamps: Christmas Wreath (Flourishes)

Paper: PTI white, kraft, rich razzleberry, Cottage Wall dp

Ink: Memento tuxedo black, rich razzleberry

Copic Markers: too many to list!

Accessories: Corner rounder, red and star dust stickles, dimensionals

Just Us Girls Technique Challenge

Happy Saturday everyone! Are you stressing yet? Surprisingly I'm not...even though I have TONS to do! We are supposed to cut down our tree tomorrow and I'll put it up on Sunday, but the weather has been pretty wintery in the southern part of Western NY, so we may go on Sunday to get it.

But today, the Just Us Girls team has a fabulous challenge that I had never tried before. Kristin chose the chalkboard technique. You can find it here on the SCS Resources section. It's sooo easy to do (once you decide on a stamp to use, which is always my dilemma!). Here's my first try at it.The set I used is called Flourish Snowman from Darcie's. I picked it up at a stamp show over the summer. I inked this tree in a pigment white ink on black cardstock and then used SU chalks in Green Galore and Garden Green for the evergreens and Close to Cocoa for the trunk of the tree. The two greens gave it more dimension. I used SU's retired Holiday Treasures dp (love that dp!) and some sheer swiss dot black ribbon. There are two metal dots in the bottom corner. NO SPARKLE on this card! I tried, believe me! LOL! (I'm looking at this card as I type, and see that the green dp is much richer in color than in the picture. It looks very washed out here, but it's more olive in color. Hmmm....)

I hope you stop by the JUGs blog and see what the other girls have done and then play along! This is really a cool technique! Here is a list of the girls' personal blogs...they'd love to see some comments from you, too!

Dana Gustafson
Kristin Bueter
Maria Levine
Mona Pendleton
Pam Imholz
Tracey Cuccia

Alicia Weiman

Thanks for stopping in today, and enjoy your weekend!

Recipe

Stamps: Flourish Snowman (Darcie's)

Paper: Neenah white, black, Holiday Treasures dp

Ink: White pigment ink

Accessories: Nesties, SU chalks, ribbon, metal dots, dimensionals

Just Us Girls Sketch Challenge

I LOVE sketch challenges! They are so helpful to me because I need something to get me on the right track. I just have such a hard time sitting down and deciding how to layout my card. Just having something in front of me, even though I may change it up a bit, is such a weight off my shoulders! Then my creative process begins! So here is the great sketch Pam came up with for our challenge this week.Isn't it great? All day, I was trying to figure out what to do with those circles, but it all came together. I decided to make another Christmas card to add to my stash of cards I need to send out (soon!).I'm really very happy with this card. This stamp is from an Inkadinkadoo clear stamp set called Ornate Christmas. I used this last year in black and thought it would look just as good in red. Pam's sketch was perfect for it. I ran the Riding Hood Red pieces through the textile folder. It sort of mimics the design in the stamp. The ribbon is also Riding Hood Red, and I finished it off with some prima poinsettia flowers, gold glitter dots, and the MS ferns. I just purchased a bunch of dies not to long ago, and this one was just the right one.

The Just Us Girls team has more delightful cards for you using this sketch (and I think we all did holiday cards!), so you really need to stop by the Just Us Girls blog to see them! And please stop by their personal blogs to leave some love!

If you decide to play, link your direct post to Mr. Linky on the JUGS blog. We'd love to see what you do with this sketch!

I have another post after this one...a sneak peek of a new fairy from Paper Makeup Stamps. Please take a look because it's a really cute one! Have a great weekend!
Recipe
Stamps: Ornate Christmas (Inkadinkadoo)
Paper: PTI vintage cream, riding hood red
Ink: Riding hood red
Accessories: Nesties, riding hood red satin ribbon, prima flowers, glitter dots, textile folder, dimensionals

Just Us Girls Template Challenge

Happy Saturday, everyone! Today, the Just Us Girls team has a template challenge for you. You can use a template or create one of your own...we just want to see some kind of box/bag you might use for the holiday season. And it can be any holiday! Here's mine.

I went to an old favorite....box in a bag from Splitcoast stampers. I remember the first time I made one, I was amazed at how petite it was, but yet it holds a lot! I used a retired dp from SU called Holiday Traditions. That was one of my favorites because of the chocolate color I LOVE!! I paired it with Pink Pirouette (also retired). The bottom was created with a Martha Stewart punch and the handle on top is SU's round tab punch. The snowflakes were punched with another MS punch in the pink and Riding Hood Red (I'm using a lot of retired paper!). It's such an easy but eye-catching bag to make!

We all need some kind of packaging this holiday, so why not join our challenge? Mona has some great blog candy to give away too! Just link your direct post to Mr. Linky on the JUGs blog and use the code JUGS9 if you post to an online gallery. Be sure to stop by the JUGS blog and see what the girls have created. It would also be nice to leave some love on their personal blogs, as well!

Thanks for stopping in today and enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Recipe
Stamps: Cute and Curly (SU)
Paper: Pink pirouette, riding hood red, Holiday Traditions dp (SU)
Ink: Riding hood red
Accessories: Lace doily and snowflake punches (Martha Stewart), round tab and curly label punches (SU), glitter dots, riding hood red ribbon, sticky tape, glue dots

Just Us Girls Color Challenge

The Just Us Girls challenge blog has a fabulous color challenge for you this week. I think it's fabulous because I was the one who chose the colors! Pumpkin Pie, Bashful Blue, and Really Rust. The JUGs DT really made these colors look amazing! Make sure you check out their cards on the JUGs blog. This is what I did with them.I got this image recently at my LSS. It's from Art Gone Wild and it's called Make a Wish. I just love the little mice holding that wishbone. The wishbone reminds me of something my mother did with a wishbone for my wedding. She had saved one from the Thanksgiving before my wedding and wrapped it in satin ribbon which she attached to my ring bearer's pillow. The rings were placed on the wishbone. Now you have to know that my mom is not crafty at all, so for her to do something like this was such a surprise! She told me she had one on her pillow at her wedding too, although I don't know who did that for her.

After I colored the image and cut and embossed the image with nesties, I swirled some pumpkin pie ink around the image while it was still in the nestie. It was just too white, and this technique really highlites the image. I did the same with the sentiment. I followed the current Mojo Monday sketch but flipped it....lots of layers on this one!

I hope you can try this color challenge this week. Check out the JUGs blog for the details, but if you post to an online gallery, use the key word JUGS8. You can also post a direct link to your card to Mr. Linky on the JUGs blog.

Thanks for stopping in today and have a great weekend!
Recipe
Stamps: Make a Wish (Art Gone Wild), sentiment (Darcie's Flourish Pumpkin)
Paper: PTI white, bashful blue, pumpkin pie, really rust, Summer Picnic and Pumpkin Pie dp (SU)
Ink: Memento tuxedo black, pumpkin pie
Copic Markers: E08, 31, 33, 35, 51, 53; B21, 34; YR14; R20; C-1
Accessories: Nesties, grosgrain ribbon, cuttlebug folder, spica gold glitter pen, star dust stickles, dimensionals

Just Us Girls Challenge with a *Twist*

Hi everyone! It's Saturday, so it's time for another challenge from Just Us Girls! And one of our girls is celebrating her birthday today...Dana Gustafson! So, our challenge is to use dry embossing on your card with a twist...make it a birthday card in honor of Dana! We tricked her today and told her the twist was to make a thank you card! I hope she was surprised!

Happy Birthday Dana!

Here is my card for Miss Dana which will be in the mail this weekend! I've been itching to use this image from Stampavie for a long time! It's called Surprise and it's been sitting on my desk waiting for this perfect challenge! For the dry embossing part of the challenge, I used the swiss dots cuttlebug folder on Cordinations paper. I sanded it a bit, but it doesn't show up very well in the picture. I don't know the name of this beautiful dp that started my color combo. I purchased it at my LSS in the summer and the back of it is just gorgeous! I hated to cover it up! I just love how bright and fun this card is! Oh, and I used my own sketch! This is something that is very difficult for me, so I'm very proud of myself! LOL!!

If you want to see more inspiration from the Just Us Girls team, stop over at the JUGs blog. We'd love for you to make a card honoring Dana's birthday. Just link up your direct post to Mr. Linky on the JUGs blog. If you post to an online gallery, use the key word JUGS7.

Also, please don't forget our Charity Challenge. We are trying to raise some money for a fellow stamper, Sarah Anderson, who lost her son recently. Check out the challenge on our JUGs blog here. There is some blog candy being offered by the JUGs team and from one of our followers, Gabby. (For some reason, I cannot connect to her blog...it keeps freezing up on me. You can click on her link in Mr. Linky to see what she's offering up as blog candy.) So please check it out!

Oh, and yesterday was my hubby's birthday! Friday the 13th! He kind of had a bad day hunting, too! Happy Birthday, Darling!

Thanks for stopping in today. Have a great weekend!
Recipe
Stamps: Surprise (Stampavie), Simple Little Things (PTI)
Paper: PTI white, cordinations, dp unknown
Ink: Memento tuxedo black
Copic Markers: E25, 29, 31, 33, 35, 39; BG10, 11, 23; Y08, 11; RV13, 14; R85
Accessories: Nesties, circle punch, corner rounder, metal dots, star dust stickles, swiss dots folder, dimensionals

Just Us Girls Charity Challenge

I have another post today, so please scroll down!

Our Just Us Girls team has paired up with Paper Makeup Stamps to do a charity challenge for the Anderson family. Fellow stamper, Sarah Anderson, lost her son suddenly last week, and Katie Cotton has named one of the Beautiful Day Fairies after her son Henry. The image is available in rubber as well as in digital format. The proceeds from the digital image are going to the Anderson family. So the challenge is to purchase the digital image from Paper Makeup Stamps (you can find it right under the Categories section on top), make a card, and post it on the JUGs blog. There is a $15 shopping spree at Paper Makeup Stamps for a randomly chosen winner. Go to the JUGs blog for more information and for some inspiration from the team and Katie Cotton.

Here's the card I made with the image.Cute image, isn't it? I remember making these in the snow as a child. We'd love for you to play our challenge, as it's for a great cause! We'd really like to add to the proceeds that PMS is raising for this grieving family. I can't even imagine their pain.

Thanks for stopping in today.

JUGs Challenge and Paper Makeup Stamps Blog Hop

Hi everyone! I have a two-fer going on here today with one card! Two birds one stone....the Paper Makeup Stamps blog hop for their November release and the Just Us Girls challenge. I decided to combine the two.

So, if you want to hop with the PMS DT, start at the PMS blog to get your directions. You will pick up a letter at each blog, which will get you a code to use for 15% off on your entire order for the week.

My card today uses a new PMS image called Twisty Tree. A great gnarled tree that can also be used for a Halloween-themed card as well. I also used the Just Us Girls challenge, which is a sketch this week. It's a great one done by Maria Levine...here it is.And here is what I did with this sketch and the new Twisty Tree image. I like the falling leaves. I had this idea the minute I saw the sketch! I think the punch is an EK success punch...the one that folds flat. I've had it for a while and this is the first time using it.

Now, if you are here for the hop (and why not hop along with us?), your letter from me is "T", and you have to continue on to Randee's blog for your next letter and to see her fabulous creation. Don't forget to come to our release party tonight at the PMS forum at 8:00 pm CST. They are always lots of fun.

If you came here for the JUGs challenge, you can link your direct post to Mr. Linky on the JUGs blog. If you post to an online gallery, please use the code word JUGS6.

Thanks for stopping in today, and remember to hop over to Randee's blog for the PMS hop!
Recipe
Stamps: Twisty Tree (PMS)
Paper: PTI white, chocolate chip, Autumn Vine dp (retired SU)
Ink: Memento tuxedo black
Copic Markers: E08, 49, 57, 59, 97; G09, 24; YG17; YR23, 24; R08, 24
Accessories: Nesties, leaf punch, satin ribbon, star dust stickles, swiss dot folder, dimensionals

Just Us Girls Wild Card Challenge

Our Just Us Girls challenge this week is not really "wild", but it is pretty cool! Your challenge this week is to make a holiday card with a picture on it. It can be any picture...a personal one of your family, pets, etc., or it could be one you found online, in a magazine, or anywhere else. The wild part is this: If you play this week, you will receive a gift from Kristin. She created a fabulous digital set that she is giving away to everyone that participates! You can see it on the graphic below as well as on the cards the DT has created this week, which you can see on the JUGs blog.Isn't that lamp post fabulous? And the sentiments Kristin has created (including a handwritten message by Tammy Hershberger) are just so wonderful for the holiday season. So all you have to do is play, and you'll be given this digital set! Great huh? Here's what I did with this challenge. I just had to put a picture of my dog, Lizzie, on here! Why would you want to see me or my DH, right? And she's so CUTE! Well, at least I think so! Anyway, I added the handwritten sentiment right on the picture using my editing software. I also resized the lamp post so it was smaller, then printed it out and cut and embossed it with a rectangle nestie. I used this SU paper, Christmas Cocoa (which I love) and soft suede and real red cardstock. The ribbon is also soft suede, and I added the red glitter dots. Super simple card to pull together.

So, are you "game"? Are you inspired to make something so you can receive this great set? I hope so! All you have to do is post a direct link to your project to Mr. Linky on the JUGs blog by Thursday, November 5 at 9:00 EST. If you post to an online gallery, use the key word JUGS5. After you play along and post your card in Mr. Linky before the deadline, email Just Us Girls and provide your email address and another link to your photo. One of us will respond with the digital Happy Holidays package just for you! How easy is that?

Here's a link to all the DT members as well as our Guest Designer, Tammy Hershberger:

Dana Gustafson
Kristin Bueter
Maria Levine
Mona Pendleton
Pam Imholz
Tracey Cuccia
Tammy Hershberger, Guest Designer

We hope you play along this week. We've had such a great response to our challenge blog after only a month, and we are so thrilled that you enjoy our challenges. This is another way to say "thanks to you"! Thanks for stopping in today, and have a great weekend!

A Flowery JUGs Challenge

Hi everyone! Are you ready for a cool 3-D project from Just Us Girls? Mona has a fantastic video to share with you on the JUGs blog showing you how to create these fabulous tissue paper flowers! Here is what I came up with for this challenge.

I used Lauren Meader's My Timeless Template called Get a Handle on It to display my flowers. I started making the tissue paper flowers in Melon Mambo according to Mona's instructions, however I only used three layers instead of four. I wanted mine smaller in size. I attached them with So Saffron brads. I added leaves punched with a Martha Stewart frond punch in Certainly Celery. The base of the box is Melon Mambo and the dp is Razzleberry Lemonade by SU. After it was all pulled together, I added my beloved star dust stickles to the flowers, brads, and leaves. I HAD to have some sparkle on my flowers! LOL!!

You should stop by the JUGs girls' blogs to see what they did with Mona's flowers. Here are the links to their blogs.

Dana Gustafson
Kristin Bueter
Maria Levine
Mona Pendleton
Pam Imholz
Tracey Cuccia

Now you need to stop by the Just Us Girls blog and watch the great video tutorial that Mona created. We'd love for you to try this technique and put it on a card/project. Link your direct post to the JUGs blog, and if you upload to an online gallery use the code JUGS4 so we can find it. We can't wait to see what you've done! Thanks for stopping in today and have a great weekend!

Just Us Girls Challenge - JUGS3

I'm here today with our third Just Us Girls challenge! We had such a great response last week...we were all truly shocked at all the entries! Every time I looked at the blog, there were more entries! I was very overwhelmed! Thanks so much...you like us, you really like us! (Just channeling Sally Field there! LOL!) I want to congratulate Rosemary for randomly winning our blog candy and Broni for being the "Chic of the Week" with her fabulous Addy Tude card! Congrats girls!

This week, we have a fantastic color challenge for you by our very talented and sweet Dana Gustafson.

Aren't these fantastic colors? I just thought Christmas and a sort of shabby chic look. These are Papertrey Ink colors, but you don't have to use them...they are just for reference. Here's what I came up with. I just bought this Snow Angel stamp by Serendipity Stamps from my LSS, Buffalo Stamps & Stuff, last weekend, and this card has been swirling around in my head all week. I stamped the image in Memento tuxedo black on Vintage Cream cardstock. I initially thought I was going to color the snowman a light brown color, but then decided on this great aqua color. I liked it much better! I added star dust stickles to pretty much everything on him...I just love that stuff! The plaid dp is Basic Grey's new Eskimo Kisses. (It has some pink in it in honor of Breast Cancer month!) The red dp is from SU's new Christmas Cocoa (it's in the Holiday Mini catalog). I used some Aqua Mist satin swiss dot ribbon by PTI. Lastly, I added some red glitter dots. I followed the SCS sketch challenge from last week.

Want to see more? Here are links to the Just Us Girls DT that you can visit. Please leave some love for their hard work.

Dana Gustafson
Kristin Bueter
Maria Levine
Mona Pendleton
Pam Imholz
Tracey Cuccia

So what do you think you can do with these colors? We'd love to see! If you play, please post your direct link to the Just Us Girls blog so we can see them! If you post to an online gallery, please use the keyword JUGS3. Dana has thrown in some blog candy for a winner, too! She made these amazing flowers on her card and is offering a bag full of them! Thanks, Dana!

On another note, Paper Makeup Stamps is in it's third week of the Countdown to Christmas sale! This week, all embellishments are 30% off! That's right...30% off! The sale runs all week and the code at checkout for the discount is EMBELLIE30. Make sure you check that out!

Thanks for stopping in today! Have a great weekend!
Recipe
Stamps: Serendipity Stamps
Paper: Vintage cream, aqua mist, pure poppy (all PTI), Eskimo Kisses (Basic Grey), Christmas Cocoa (SU)
Ink: Memento tuxedo black
Copic Markers: BG0000, 10, 11, 13, 23; R11, 27, 29, 35, 59; W-1
Accessories: Nesties, aqua mist ribbon, star dust stickles, glitter dots, dimensionals