UIT: Birthday Blog Hop!

We have a little excitement this week at Use It Tuesday…you know why? It is our 1 year Blogiversary and we are celebrating with a blog hop and presents! (And cake with ice cream, too…please excuse the frosting on our keyboards…)

I am the very last stop on the hop! You should have arrived here from Sami’s blog. Be sure to stop by the entire design team’s blogs as well as the Use It Tuesday blog because we have hidden prizes all along the way!

Now, being we are the blog that encourages you to use your stash, we don’t usually do ‘prizes’ per say, but hey, this is a PARTY after all! And what is a party without presents?! (…and the aforementioned cake and ice cream!)

So, how can you win?

1. Hidden along our hop are prizes on each of our design team member’s blogs! Leave each of us a comment and you will have an opportunity to win. Easy as that!
2. Play with us! Link your creation to our challenge post using Inlinkz; one lucky participant will win a GRAND PRIZE package donated by our fabulous sponsors!
3. You MUST be a follower of the Use It Tuesday blog to win!

As always, our winner will chosen by the Inlinkz Froggy. In order to win, you MUST mention that you are playing with us at Use It Tuesday, make a project that meets our guidelines, AND tell us what hoarded supplies you used! And…of course, the grand prize winner will be asked to guest design for us in an upcoming challenge!

Now, on to the challenge! This week is all about our 1 year blogiversary; we want to see a project that has to do with BIRTHDAYS! Simply link your creation to our challenge post using Inlinkz by Friday, Februrary 24th.

For my project, I was lucky enough to be sponsored by Sami at SP and Company!

I used her Mini Card Creations I and II sets! I just love the look of smaller card for attaching to a gift...and yet they are big enough to also fit a gift card perfectly! For my card, I still used a ton of hoarded supplies. I hate to admit, that ribbon was bought off eBay in 2005. Oh yes, I got like 3 yards of all the Stampin' UP colors! LOL And the Pool Party paper had NEVER been used.

And I could not stop there...this set is just so fun! I made a few extra little 4x4 cards for my kids to use on gifts. Plus it is had been forever since I had the opportunity to craft, so I had to take advantage of it!

You have the chance to win the Mini Card Creations set from SP and Company by leaving me a comment with your contact information by February 24th. A winner will be randomly chosen, so good luck!

We want to thank our other FABULOUS sponsors, too! A full list, as well as a peek as what is in the Grand Prize package is linked on the Use It Tuesday blog. :) And since I am the last stop on the hop, don't forget to make your birthday creation and link it up in time to win it!

Thanks for stopping by!

Giving Thanks

Just a quick 10-minute CAS card for our challenge over at Use It Tuesday! The theme this week is 'giving thanks'...and I had fun using my hoarded washi paper tape for the project. :)

{Before we moved from Japan, I went a tad-bit crazy and bought 42 rolls of various colors/patterns of washi tape. How many cards have I made with it in the 18 months since I purchased it? Two. Until now! Yay for using my stash!}

I wish all my American friends a wonderful Thanksgiving full of fun, food, and football! And, as always, thanks for taking the time to visit my little corner of cyberspace. :)

Chocolate

This week at Use It Tuesday is all about CHOCOLATE! What fun!

I chose to dust off my Cricut Imagine and made this super easy card based on a sketch from Clean & Simple Stamping. The paper was printed from my Imagine as well, because I don't have enough paper already in my stash. **snort** ;) Of course I do...but this just matched so perfectly, I could not resist...

Used some SU ribbon from my stash, as well as the rhinestones that I got from the 100yen store while living in Japan. Stickles dressed up the cake and we finished it off with one of my favorite sentiments from Papertrey Ink!

Thanks for looking and have a fabulous week!

UIT Fasteners

As many of you know, I am a co-owner of Use It Tuesday...the challenge blog for hoarders. :) When I developed the list of challenges, I had to take a little peek at my own supplies, of course. I have a feeling many of you (not naming names) have similar issues, so this should be easy for you!

We want you to use your fasteners! We are talking buttons, brads, eyelets, grommets...and whatever else you think applies!

I used 10 buttons on this card. Yes, it did cause heart palpitations, I won't lie! But then I looked at what was 'left over' in my stash. It was a quick recovery. :)

This card started out to be quite linear, with the buttons all nicely lined up in little squares. When I slid the buttons off to tape my squares, I loved the randomness of the look, so I kept it. What do you think?

We would love to have you play with us this week! See you over at Use It Tuesday!

Stamps: PTI for sentiment
Paper: PTI Stampers Select, Tempting Turquoise
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Buttons, Karen Foster Scrappers Floss, SU Felt Flowers

SSDS Spring Lanterns

The challenge this week at Scrap, Stamp & Doodle Saturdays is Clean and Simple! If I am being honest, I have a love/hate relationship with white space. It is totally growing on me, but I can't help but want to fill it up with pretty embellishments! (And paper, because goodness knows, I have enough of it!)

So, take your turn at a CAS card and play along with us this week!

As a side, these are new stamps I got a few weeks ago from Lawn Fawn. Can you say love? So cute! Click on over...but I can't promise you won't end up with a cart full of goodness!

Stamps: Lunar Lights (Lawn Fawn)
Paper: PTI White, Tempting Turquoise, Wild Wasabi
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics
Accessories: Stickles, Dew Drops

Also happy to play along with:

• If the Shoe Fits (spring)
• Pattie's Creations (spring or Easter)
• Dutch Dare (spring has sprung)
• Some Odd Girl (CAS)
• Tuesday Throwdown (sparkle and bling)
• Craft your Passion (anything goes)
• Paper Playtime (anything goes)
• Stamping Scrapping Challenge Central (sparkle)
  

HSS Romance

Oh la la, Hand Stamped Sentiments Weekly challenge is to use romantic colors! They called specifically for shades of red, with accents of black and whisper white or very vanilla.

Since HSS is run by SU Demos, I sometimes try to make my card SU only. (They don't care what product you use; it is a little self imposed restriction I like to put on myself!) This week I almost succeeded! Those pesky rhinestones are compliments of the 100 yen store in Japan...oh how I miss it so!

I have also found myself leaning more toward CAS cards lately. **gasp** I know. I actually think it is just that I can't quite bring myself to cut into the paper I like to hoard...LOL...

Stamps: Baroque Motifs, Short and Sweet
Paper: Very Vanilla, Cajun Craze
Ink: Versafine Black, Versamark
Accessories: Clear EP, Hearts & Brackets Big Shot die, rhinestones, CM corner punch

I hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend! :)

CAS Love Struck

Well, it is official; I am finally getting my groove back after Christmas! And...drum roll please...I have another Valentine's Day card to show you!

This card is based on the sketch at Clean & Simple Stamping this week. Isn't it fun? And it also meets the criteria over at Scrap, Stamp, & Doodle Saturdays to use a punch on your card! I chose my most favorite punch, the SU Scallop Edge. :) Yay for fun challenges!

I have 2 cards posted: one is blinged out with stickles and the other is plain. I can't decide which I like better! The glitter really shines IRL...thought it would be a fun touch. What do you think?

Stamps: Timeless Love (Paper Pretties), A to Z Accents (SU)
Paper: Crumb Cake, Basic Black, Melon Mambo, Pixie Pink, Pink Passion, Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink
Ink: Versafine Black
Accessories: Baker's Twine, Stickles, SU Scallop Edge Punch

Have a fantastic day! Thanks for dropping by!

Timeless Love

Yay! I finally posted a Valentine's Day card! After seeing all my blog buddies working on them, I felt like a total underachiever! (We won't talk about the girls who do Christmas Cards all year...my hat is off to them!)

I was excited to have a chance to play in some of my favorite blog challenges this week. This card meets the requirements for:

Clean & Simple: Sketch
Hand Stamped Sentiments: Use Hearts
Scrap, Stamp & Doodle Saturdays: Anything Goes

Woo Hoo! 3 challenges in 1! That is a lot for me...I know many of you can do like 10 in one. You have official superhero status in my eyes!

Stamps: Timeless Love (Paper Pretties)
Paper: PTI White, Old Olive, Cajun Craze, Basic Grey Indian Summer
Ink: Versafine Black
Accessories: SU Old Olive Ribbon & Button, DMC floss, Stickles, Nestabilities, SU Scallop Edge Punch, CB Embossing Folder

As a side, the ribbon off the edge was a total mistake! I tried to take the card apart to tuck it under but the darn cardstock started to tear. Anyway, then I kind of liked it! Sometimes mistakes work!!

Everything is Better in 3's

I am really having fun playing over at Clean & Simple Stamping! It is a constant reminder that a card does not have to have all the bells and whistles to make a statement!

(Unless, of course, my husband is reading this...then YES, I do need all that stuff!)

This week's sketch is shown below. I knew I wanted to make something with snowflakes, as I am trying to get ahead with my seasonal cards. I guess that is kind of cheating, as I pretty well bypassed Thanksgiving. :)



This card was easy peasy, complete in under 15 minutes! Love cards like that!

Stamps: Winter Wonder (Verve), sentiment (CTMH)
Paper: All SU (Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Brilliant Blue)
Ink: All SU (Bashful Blue, Brilliant Blue)
Accessories: All SU (Iridescent Ice EP, retired ribbon)

This is an appropriate card to post today, as we are enjoying some flurries as I type! Apparently we have enjoyed a mild winter thus far, which is fine by me! I enjoy the snowflakes on my cards, not so much in my driveway. :)

Wishing you a wonderfully crafty day!

Spring Wishes

Wow...I must be yearning for spring by the looks of this card! ;) Darn it, I have a longggg time to wait!

This card was made from a sketch at Clean & Simple Stamping. I just love their blog! You should really check it out for some yummy CAS inspiration.

My ribbon choice guided the entire card...I love the colors together! And I had yet to use that really cool TAC set for the border.

Stamps: Edge Designs (TAC), Celebration of Thanks (Verve)
Paper: Gable Green, Early Espresso, Whisper White (SU)
Ink: Versamark, Early Espresso, Pumpkin Pie
Accessories: Clear EP, Prima Flower, Brad (Making Memories), Ribbon (American Crafts), Glue Dots

I hope you are having a wonderfully crafty week!

CAS Joyful Flower

I stumbled upon Clean & Simple Stamping and immediately fell in love with the style of it! Their current challenge involves a sketch you can find here. And luckily enough, I had a pack of 4 gorgeous Prima flowers that fit the bill for the sketch!

Stamps: Papertrey Ink
Paper: Stamping UP's Basic Black, Silver, and Shimmery White
Ink: Versafine, SU Melon Mambo
Accessories: Prima Flower, SU Gingham ribbon

Has everyone used their 50% off Martha Stewart coupon for Michael's? I have been there twice this week and you know, I just cannot find anything I need. I hate to let a good coupon expire. :( Something obviously must be wrong with me!!

Thanks for dropping by! I hope you had a wonderful Wednesday!

Little Lady

I am posting this card as a reminder to Mother Nature that technically it is spring. Make it happen already! ;)

Stamps: Little Lady (PTI)
Paper: Stampers Select White (PTI), Real Read, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink: Versafine Black, Real Red
Accessories: Misc Ribbon, CTMH Rhinestones

I have been so busy scrapbooking! I have some pages to post for you this week. I am now up to May 2008 in my Family Album! My goal is to make it through August 2008 before we move, as that would finish off all the pictures I have printed...sitting at my house...collecting dust! :) Little goals...well, actually this is a BIG goal, but still. Thanks for hanging with me!

I hope this finds all of you well and enjoying more spring-like weather than we are! Thanks for dropping by today!

Confessions of a Naughty Stamper

Oh my...I hope that blog post title does not get some strange riff-raff viewing my blog. LOL :)

Soooo...a while back I had some pictures reprinted with the intention of making cards out of them. I got the idea from an old back issue of Paper Crafts. At any rate, I had not fully intended to use them as the entire card front, but I could not bear to cut them down any more. And they came together in only 10 minutes!

Herein lies my confession: I did not use ANY INK on this card. None. Zip. Zilch.
And you know what? I am enamored with it! Curses.

Hey, at least I am using my paper! :)

Photo was taken by me in Miyajima, Japan. Paper is SU: Old Olive, Basic Black and Soft Suede. Brads are SU.

I made 5 different styles of this card with different pictures and embellishments. I will post the rest later on. :)

As a side, I am getting ready to leave for my High School reunion! I am so jazzed...a solo trip to the US, getting to see my old friends, shopping, chain restaurants, shopping, good food, shopping, In & Out Burger. Oh, did I happen to mention shopping? :)

I promise to catch up once I get back. Thanks for taking a minute to check in on me.

Paper Challenge: 12 cards made for a total of 97/100 projects complete!!

007: Cricut Watermelons

My friend Carrie hosted a card swap recently. The mission: create a card using your Cricut! I chose to accept the mission, as I have never used my Cricut for anything but my scrapbooks! I know, I obviously need to get out more!

At any rate, I was literally shaking in my chair with the mere thought of not applying ink to anything on the card. I mean, is that even legal?? :) (To calm my nerves, I did manage to get some ink on there! LOL)

Here is my creation:



Stamps: PTI Vintage Picnic Sentiments
Paper: Kraft, Real Read, Basic Black, Whisper White, Glorious Green
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black
Accessories: Mike's Ribbon, Cricut Doodlecharms

I am also honored to have been given another blog award! Grace sent this one to me. Thank you so much Grace! I am blessed to have met you through our wonderful Blog group!!





I am honored to pass this along to 5 other bloggers who have become part of my circle of friends! Choosing 5 is difficult, but here it goes:

• Naomi
  
• Traci
  
• Heather
  
• Lou
  
• Laura

Paper Challenge: 8 swap cards created, so I am now at 48/100 projects complete!! :)

Almost over the hump!!

This challenge has been fun, in a self-deprivation type of way! LOL Seriously, I have really been loving it! I am excited to have inspired many of you to join in the challenge. I am feeling a great sense of appreciation for the paper that is slowly disappearing from my stash! How about you?

CAS-y Masculine and some FUN!

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you know that 2 things really, really challenge me: CAS and Masculine cards.

So, a friend of mine asked me to make a set of note cards for her husband to use. (Can you see the deer in the headlights look from there?!!) She specifically asked for cool tones with regard to the cardstock colors and to "keep it simple" while incorporating her DH's initials.

My, oh my...this one was indeed a challenge!

Here are the 4 samples I made for her.

Card 1: So Saffron Pocket Card

Card 2: Lovely as a Tree Clear Embossed

Card 3: So Saffron Argyle with a touch of ribbon

Card 4: Sanded Blue

Let's play a game!

Post, in order, which ones you think she liked best. A rank of "1" is her most favorite; a rank of "4" is her least favorite! Then, on July 12 I will "award" the person who picked correctly with a prize!

If more than 1 person ranks the cards correctly, I will do a little drawing here. If you are not a crafty gal, please play anyway! I would be happy to send you a little somethin'-somethin' from Japan!

Thanks for stopping by!

ETA: the metal swirl on the pocket card is NOT part of the card! It just a stand I had to lean the card up against to get the picture. :)

I Did It!

I finally made a CAS card! And you know what? I love it! It used to be scary to me, as I felt this need to have the space filled. It was very freeing and I really enjoyed the simplicity of it.

I actually sent this card out to my blog buddies (who are on the RAK list) and pen pals who had birthdays recently. :) I hope they liked it!

Stamps: TAC Bella Fleur, sentiment Stamping Bella
Paper: PTI white, Pixie Pink
Ink: Nick Bantock Lamp Black (Ranger), Copics, Versafine Black
Accessories: Ribbon from Stamping Bella, Stickles

Thanks for visiting!