Cutie Shipping Tag Box

Hi again,

I have been playing with my Alota Rubber Stamps “Christmas Cuties” stamps again … I just love these cute little kids.

This time round I decided to make one of the Shipping Tag Boxes that was this week’s Technique Challenge over on SCS. You can find out how to create one of these here. These are sooooooo easy to create!

Here is a side on view of my shipping tag box. I also got to play with one of my new Martha Stewart Border Punches I got this week … this one is the Stars border punch.

Oh before I go I wanted to share a brand new unmounted stamp set that Alota Rubber Stamps just released. This set is called “Aussie Snowman”, this was designed by a friend of mine, Susan Uncle. I thought it was such a fun set that I just had to share it with you all. I don’t have the stamps yet so I can’t create a card to share here just now but as soon as I do I will.

This is pretty much what a snowman would look like if we attempted to try and make one down here especially at this time of year, although I haven’t ever seen snow where I live …. a bucket full of water or mush on the ground.

Recipe:

Stamps: Christmas Cuties – Alota Rubber Stamps

Paper: Olive; Red; Eskimo Kisses DP – Basic Grey

Other: Black Ink; MS Star Border Punch; Swiss Dots Cuttlebug Embossing Folder; Tag Corner Punch; Hole Punch; Red Ribbon; Foam Tape; Copics

WCMD – MFT Challenge!

MFT Stamps is sponsoring a challenge on Splitcoast Stampers as part of this years World Card Making Day Celebration! The challenge is to use the standard MFT colors (Pink & Black), the twist is to add some BLING to your project!
I created this card for the challenge using the new “On The Pier” stamp set. This was originally part of the MFT Stamps July Kit of the Month but on the 7th October you will be able to purchase the stamp set on its own if you don’t already have it. For the bling part of the challenge, I used Hotfix Glitter Pearls on each corner of my card.
Recipe:
Stamps: On The Pier – MFT Stamps
Paper: White; Black; Pink; DP
Other: Black Ink; Pink Grosgrain Ribbon; Oval Punch; Hotfix Glitter Pearls; Foam Tape; Copic Airbrush; Copics

Featured Stamper #133

Hi everyone,

It has been a long time since I have played along with the Featured Stamper on SCS, but this week I just had to!

The stamper being featured this week is Jo-jot, Joanne’s gallery is amazing I have long admired her work. After looking through her gallery I finally ended up deciding to CASE her Nature's Silhouettes in Pink card.

As per the rules of the featured stamper challenge, I had to change at least 2 things on my card. Here are my changes:

• I substituted red card for the pink that Joanne used
• I decided to use this cute fishing kids stamp which both Joanne & I have and there are tons of cards in her gallery using it so I decided it was as good as an excuse as any to use it hehe.

Congratulations Joanne for being this week’s featured Stamper!

Recipe:

Stamps: Kids Fishing – Ornamentum

Paper: White; Black; Riding Hood Red – SU; DP – Unknown

Other: Black Ink; Top Note Die; Black Brads; Paper Piercing Ruler & Tool

Pin Up Girl Gift Card Holder

First up I gotta tell you that I modelled for this stamp image .... do you believe that bwahahahahahaha! Oh ok so I don't look like that but you can't blame a girl for trying right!!

This is another of the new sets which will be released by Hanna Stamps this coming Friday 5th December. This set is called Pin Up Hanna and is such a fun set.


Last week the try a new technique over on SCS was to make these gift holders. I thought it would be fun to make one using Pin Up Hanna on the front .... I also recently received some fun Santa hat brads which are just the right size for this Hanna image so I also had to use that. I used one of the new nestabilites sets for the layering of my image.

This also works for this week's Hanna Stamps weekly challenge which was make a gift card holder .... easy hehe!


I am planning on getting a couple of scratchies and will put them into the middle of the gift card holder and will then include it with my DH's Christmas present ... I normally give him one each year (never this well presented hehe)'

The sentiment on the inside of my gift holder is another of the circle Christmas stamps from The Cutting Cafe.

Recipe:
Stamps: Pin Up Hanna - Hanna Stamps; Merry Christmas - Gina K; Circle Christmas Stamp - The Cutting Cafe
Paper: White; Real Red - SU; DP - Unknown
Other: Black Ink; Old Paper Distress Ink; Nestabilities; Red Pearls; Santa Hat Brad; Red Grosgrain Ribbon; Foam Tape; Copics

Our Release Party this Thursday 4th December is at 9 p.m. est. Hope you can join us for some fun challenges. Be sure to check the Hanna Forums.

A World Card Making Day Challenge

Well World Card Making Day is well and truly over down here in Australia ... but I had to do at least one challenge ... that challenges is the special Featured Stamper challenge that was hosted by my friend Jimmi Mayo over on SCS. The Featured Stamper was another friend of mine Sherry Campbell aka sherrylc05 over on SCS.

Sherry has a wonderful gallery of cards and after some deliberation I selected this one of hers to CASE. As per the normal rules of the Featured Stamper challenge I had to change at least 2 things, here are my changes:

• Used a different main image
• Used a sentiment rather than a smaller image
• Used a different designer paper
• Changed the theme of the card ... mine is Christmas

Recipe:
Stamps: Winter Birds - Inkadinkado; Sentiment - Gina K
Paper: White; True Thyme, Old Olive & DP - SU
Other: Old Olive SU Ink; Olive Grosgrain Ribbon; Circle Nestabilities

Reindeer Games!

As you can see I have been busy today making Christmas cards ... this one uses another of the oval shaped Christmas images from alota Rubber Stamps that were released this month .... and the great thing about them is that they also work well with the oval nestabilities!

This card is for this week's featured stamper on SCS. It has been a while since I have participated in this challenge but to go ahead and play today. The featured stamper this week is Liz aka LazyLizard! Congratulations Liz! I found this card of Liz' which is also a Christmas card to CASE. As per the rules of this challenges I changed at least 2 things ... here are the changes I made:

• changed the colors
• changed the rectangle to an oval
• changed the image
• used designer paper rather than a cuttlebug panel
• changed the color of my ribbon

Recipe:
Stamp: Reindeer - alota Rubber Stamps
Paper: White; Old Olive - SU; Red; DP - Kaiser
Other: Black Ink; Oval Nestabilities; Olive Grosgrain Ribbon; Foam Tape; Copics

My First Hanna!

Good morning everyone. Well as you all know I haven't just received my very first Hanna Stamp .... actually this is one I got about 12 months ago ... but it was my first Hanna stamp I got ... it is the 1st Hanna set that went on sale when Hanna Stamps first opened.

So why am I talking about my first Hanna Stamp I hear you all asking ... well it is because this week's challenge over on the Hanna Stamps member forum of SCS is to use our first Hanna Stamp to create a card.

I have actually combined two challenges to create my card today ... obviously the one I just mentioned above and also the Color Throwdown color challenge for this week, which is to use the colors Bashful Blue, Apricot Appeal & Ballet Blue.

I used the Bashful Blue Designer paper to Paper Piece Hanna's dress.

Recipe:
Stamps: But I need It - Hanna Stamps
Paper: White; Bashful Blue, Apricot Appeal & Bashful DP -SU
Other: Black Ink; Swiss Dots Cuttlebug Embossing Folder; Blue Brads; Flowers; Corner Rounder; Hole Punch

Reindeer Noses!

The technique challenge over on SCS this week was to create an acetate treat box ... you can find the info here.

As you can see I decided to play along today. First up I had to find a treat to put inside my treat box (it's not a treat box if it doesn't contain a treat right haha!) Well I found some jaffas on special so I decided I would make a "Reindeer Noses" treat box, cause the jaffas are red just like Rudolph the red nose reindeer.


Here is a side view of the treat box.

Recipe:
Stamps: Reindeer - Unknown
Paper: White; Garden Green - SU; DP - Unknown; Acetate
Other: Black Ink; Petite Oval Nestabilities; Corner Rounder; Sheer Ribbon

It's in the Bag!

It has been sometime since I played the featured stamper challenge, and wasn't really planning on playing this week either. But I did go see who the featured stamper was this week ... it is Kim aka blondie090277 ...... I enjoyed looking through her gallery she has some wonderful cards in there. Anyway I discovered her Sunburst Dandy's Tote that she created and decided I would make one too.

As per the rules of this challenge I had to change at least 2 things to my project, here are the changes I made:

• changed my colors from blue & brown to pink & brown
• I made my purse so that it could open ... Kim's I believe is sewn together.
• Use a brad for my flap rather than a button
• Used grosgrain ribbon rather than satin
• Added a flourish stamp to the bottom right corner of my bag
• Decorated the inside of my card

Here is what the inside looks like for my card.


Edit: I have had a couple of queries as to the measurements for this card so I thought I would add it here in case any others had questions too.

1. Start with a 5 inch square card.
2. Find the centre at the bottom of the card (the fold) and then measure 1.5 inches on either side of this mark.
3. Take a ruler and line up the top corner and the 1.5 inch mark and cut along this line.

I added my DP to the top portion of my card prior to measuring and cutting that way I didn't have to measure a second time.

I made mine so it would open ... but the one I CASEd (link provided above) was sewn closed so you can use as a little bag to hold something inside.

Recipe:
Stamps: Flourish - Autumn Leaves; Sentiment - Darcie Stamps
Papers: White; Chocolate Chip - SU; DP - Basic Grey
Other: Black Ink; Chocolate Chip SU Ink; Brad; Brown Grosgrain Ribbon; Magnet

Simple Watercolored Flowers

Well I am still working my way through the Dare to be Dirty challenges over on SCS. Today's card combines two more of the challenges.

First up this is for Christine's "watercolor" challenge .... and I tell ya it took me forever to find my watercolor pencils, they had been relocated when I did the first section of my stamp room revamp and put in a safe place. So safe it took me about 30 mins to find them ........ arghhhhhhhhhh! But I finally did find them so I could watercolor my flowers.

The second challenge I did for this card was Sharon's "Stamp Simply" ... well I hope this is simple enough ... I so wanted to add other things, but I resisted that temptation.

Ok I am off to see if I can get some more of the challenges made today ..... there were 3 challenges posted today so I will see how I go .... fortunately you don't have to do them all on the day, we have a week or two to complete them.

Recipe:
Stamps: Flower - Simply Stated from Fancy Pants; Sentiment - Hero Arts
Paper: White; Purely Pomegranate - SU; DP - Basic Grey
Other: Black Ink; Long Rectangle Nestabilities; Watercolor Pencils; Pomegranate Ribbon; Foam Tape

Simpy De-Vine!

I am back again today with another card that I made for the Dare to Get Dirty challenges over at SCS. This card combines two more challenges ..... I am getting there! The challenges I did for this one include Holly's sketch challenge .... I had to do the sketch challenge cause I love doing sketch challenges. I also did Lauren's monochromatic challenge ... I do like the look of a monochromatic card, as you can see I went with a brown theme.

I found this designer paper while I was out shopping yesterday ... ok so I was supposed to be buying groceries not papers haha! The image used here is from High Hopes Rubber Stamps .... this is one I have had for a while but hadn't used till now ... I so love this image.

Still a few more challenges I want to try and catch up on which hopefully I will do today or tomorrow and share with you tomorrow.

Recipe:
Stamps: Monkey & Sentiment - High Hopes Stamps
Paper: White; Creamy Caramel & Chocolate Chip - SU; DP - Kaiser
Other: Black Ink; Brown Grosgrain Ribbon; Brown Brads; Foam Tape

Black & White Inspiration

I am still working my way through the Dare to be Dirty challenges over on SCS. My card today is for Jenn's inspiration challenge .... she supplied a photo of a wonderful black & white cake that had a green bow wrapped around it.

I picked up on the black and white colors and also the flourishes that were all over the cake in the photo ... and of course I also had to have the green bow.

The flourishes were stamped using versamark ink and then embossed using white embossing powder ... wow I hardly ever emboss these days.

Recipe:
Stamps: Flourishes - Autumn Leaves; Sentiment - Penny Black
Paper: White; Black
Other: Black Ink; Versamark Ink; White EP; Horizontal Slot Punch; Green Grosgrain Ribbon; Black & White Brads

Clean, Simple and White!

I can't believe I talked myself into making a card for Julie's "Embrace the White Space" which was another challenge for the Dare to be Dirty challenges today. We had to make a clean, simple white card .... which is what I did here.

Look Kim a one layer card from me ... don't fall over and faint and break your other foot LOL!

For those who haven't figured it out yet, this isn't normally the type of card I like to make ... there is nothing wrong with them when other people make em ... I actually like them when others make them ... it is just when I do something doesn't look right ... like it isn't finished! I do not know why ... but that is how it is anyway.

I used this cute little girl from alota Rubber Stamps ... isn't she just adorable .... she comes with a whole bunch of other kids in an unmounted plate. I have been wanting to play with these ever since I got them last week .... but until now haven't had the opportunity.

I used my score it board to create the score lines along the left & top edges and my paper piercing mat & tool to create the piercing under the sentiment.

Recipe:
Stamps: Kids set - alota Rubber Stamps; sentiment- Hero Arts
Paper: White
Other: Black Ink; Score It Board; Pink Grosgrain Ribbon; Pink Brads; Paper Piercing Mat & Tool

Another "Dirty" card

Get your mind out of the gutters girls it ain't that type of "dirty" card LOL ... this is for the Dirty Dare challenges being held on SCS this week. One of the challenges today was to create a masculine card ... I hope this is masculine enough ... and I thought it was a great sentiment to use to give to your DH or boyfriend ... don't you think!

The other day while browsing though the updated blog posts on my google reader I found a post from my friend Susan BlueRobot about creating lattice cards using the cricut. If you own a cricut and especially the design studio check out her blog cause she is just a wiz on that thing ... I wish I had more time to figure it out. Susan was inspired to create hers after discovering a post by Linda of Just for Sharing ... who has some wonderful lattice patterns etc that you can download and use on your cricut machine .... you do need to have the design studio though to be able to do this. Anyway I downloaded all the patterns ...thanks Linda and on Sunday I spent the afternoon just cutting out some card fronts using some of her patterns, so that I have a few to play around with when I need them.

The image used here is one of the new stamps that were released recently by H & M Stamps.

Recipe:
Stamps: Cozy on Up Set - H & M Stamps
Paper: White; Black; Really Rust & Chocolate Chip - SU
Other: Black Ink; George Cricut Cartridge; Oval Nestabilities; Black Brads; Foam Tape

Dare To Get Dirty!

It is Dare To Get Dirty time again over at SCS, I had so much fun participating in this last year that I have been looking forward to this years event. Past & present members of the Dirty Dozen will be hosting challenges over the next week ... 2 challenges per day on week days and 4 challenges on Saturday & Sunday.

For my card today I combined the first two challenges ... one of the challenges was to use vellum on our card. I added the vellum as a layer over my main image and then stamped my sentiment over the top of it ... this gives the image a nice subtle look! The second challenge was to use ribbon .... I love using the wide ribbon on my cards so I selected this wide ribbon from Papertrey Ink I got earlier in the year.

My card also works for this weeks OCC challenge over on Our Creative Corner's blog which was to use embossing on our card. I used my swiss dots cuttlebug embossing folder to create the embossing on the base of my card.

Recipe:
Stamps: Thomas Kinkade Christmas Village - CHF; Sentiment - Print Works
Paper: White; Always Artichoke; River Rock & Cranberry Crisp - SU; Vellum
Other: Black Ink; Always Artichoke SU Ink; Spring Moss Grosgrain Ribbon; Cranberry Eyelets; Swiss Dots Cuttlebug Embossing Folder

Lasting Joy!

I had been hoping I would get a change to do this week's Mojo Monday sketch that Julee of Poetic Artistry hosts each week. Late last night I discovered what the color challenge was on SCS well I knew both would work well together ... so before going to bed I sat down and created my card.

I seldom use kraft card ... I am not sure why because the look is quite effective I just don't so if was fun using it for this card. BTW I almost forgot to tell you what the colors were for this week's color challenge .... soft sky, kraft and black.

I sponged the edges of the kraft panel that the bird is stamped onto using soft sky SU ink. I used the soft sky designer prints DP for the back panel ... this is actually one whole piece ... I used some black tape I had to create all my black bands ... much easier than trying to line up all those small panels and get them even. I knew I would "need" that tape one day LOL!

I will be back later today with my card for this week's sketch challenge ... can't wait to play!

Recipe:
Stamps: Birds Galore - Inkadinkadoo; Sentiment - Love To Stamp
Paper: Black; Soft Sky, Soft Sky DP & Kraft - SU
Other: Black Ink; Soft Sky SU Ink; Black Brads; Rectangle Nestabilities; Black Tape; Foam Tape

Lavender Double Pocket Bag

My Favorite Things is pleased and proud to introduce you to our brand-spankin’ new line, My Favorite Things Presents! My Favorite Things Presents opens the door for us to work with new Illustrators and continue to offer images that are “Fresh, Fun and Completely Distinctive!” This spin-off brand will begin by offering images from artist Annie LaPoint, being introduced over the next few months. Other Illustrators, as *need* arises, will be added as we find artists and styles we feel would translate well into the stamp world and as we see a niche we can uniquely fill. My Favorite Things original brand will continue to be drawn by the irreplaceable Christy Beckwith, whose style has so completely captured our hearts.

A couple of weeks ago the Technique challenge on SCS was Double Pocket Bags ... of course I had to try one out .... which I thought was just right for this new lavender stamp that will be released later tonight by My Favorite Things. You can find the tutorial on how to make this bag here.

My Favorite Things is having a New Release Cocktail Party on Wednesday, 4^th June from 9-11 p.m. Eastern time. Lots of fun is planned including finding out how YOU can be the next MFT Guest Designer. Head over to the MFT forum on SCS to find out all the details and we hope to see you there on Wednesday night.

Recipe:
Stamps: Lavender - MFT Stamps
Paper: White; Old Olive & Elegant Eggplant - SU; DP - Imaginisce
Other: Black Ink; Rectangle Nestabilities; Elegant Eggplant Grosgrain Ribbon; Slot Punch

Viva la France!

My card today is for the "Our Favorite Flag" challenge that is being run on the Hanna Stamps Member Forum of SCS. We had to use the Patriotic Hanna mini set to create our card using any countries flag or colors. Hanna does come with the USA flag in her hand, but there is also another flag image you can use if you want to included in this set which is blank.

When I first heard of this challenge I immediately thought of France as I remembered that the Passport Hanna set has an image of the Eiffel Tower in it and also that it would be very easy to draw a French flag. Later on I remembered that I had some French buttons by Dress It Up which included some French flags .... so I decided to use one of those for my card.

Hanna has been cut out and is mounted over the Eiffel Tower using foam tape. I layered this image using my long rectangles nestabilities .... cutting out 2 scallop rectangles and joining to get the size required.

The ribbon is actually the red & white striped grosgrain ribbon by SU ... I wanted to be red, white & blue so I added some blue using my copic markers. The sentiment was created using my computer.

This challenge is one that has a prize which is a $25 gift voucher to Hanna Stamps .... there is still time to enter as you have until 5th June to upload your entries to SCS. You do need to use Patriotic Hanna though, so if you ordered why not give this challenge a go. I can't win cause I am on the Design Team ... I just wanted to play for fun! The winner will be drawn at the Hanna Stamps release party 6th June. For more details check out the link which I included above.

Recipe:
Stamps: Patriotic Hanna & Passport Hanna Sets - Hanna Stamps
Papers: White; Real Red & Night of Navy - SU; DP - Unknown
Other: Black Ink; Long Rectangles Nestabilities; Blue Brads; Red & White Stripe Grosgrain Ribbon - SU; French Flag Button; Word Window Punch; Foam Tape

Cheeky Monkey!

Afternoon all ..... I am surrounded by stamping supplies everywhere here ... no not new ones! Remember I mentioned on Saturday that my DH was building my new stamping storage cupboards ... well 2 sections are now finished and he is planning on removing the old and putting up the new when he comes home from work today ... I had strict instructions to get all my stamping stuff ... paper/card; stamps; brads; ribbon etc etc out of them so this could be done. Just as well he didn't say I had to empty the 3rd section cause I don't know where I would be able to put that stuff.

Anyway I am excited that it is going to happen ... tonight I get my new paper storage area which will hold my A4 card (8.5 x 11 for those of you in the US or near enough) and my 12 x 12 DP. And also my new stamp drawers ... which will mean no stamps will be falling on my head anymore when I try to get them down from the top of the cabinet where they are now ... yahhhhhh! Not sure how long it will take me to put everything back in ... that might be slower then actually taking everything out LOL!

My card today combines two challenges ... the sketch which I always do and this week's color challenge which I haven't done for a while! The color challenge this week was to use sage shadow & chocolate chip .... I am really scrimping for choc chip ... just as well I had a few scraps. I really like sage shadow but haven't used it in ages!

The sketch this week is being guest hosted by my friend Amber ... fortunately she selected a nice simple sketch for this week, just what I needed! It means I can have it done before my DH comes home cause I know I will have to help him with the new shelving.

I got a few new stamps today so I was hoping one would work on the sketch challenge today ... I selected the "monkey love" set from C.C. Designs. The sentiment is from High Hopes stamps and is perfect for this little fella! I used my distressed stripes cuttlebug embossing folder to emboss the top portion of my card. The DP is another of the archaic Basic Grey range and matches sage shadow so well. Finally I added my ribbon to the top of my card.

Recipe:
Stamps: Monkey Love - CC Designs; Sentiment - High Hopes
Papers: White; Sage Shadow & Chocolate Chip - SU; Archaic DP - Basic Grey
Other: Black Ink; Brown Brads; Brown Grosgrain Ribbon; Distress Stripes Cuttlebug Embossing Folder; Foam Tape

Friends Forever

It is time for another challenge with my goofball CCEE friends on SCS. This week we had to "go back to our roots and make a card with the very first stamp/stamp set you ever bought". I have to say I went .... arghhhhhhhhhhhh when I first saw this challenge. Why????? well because I have been stamping for almost 20 years and who can remember that far back not me. Anyway after consulting with my DD I think I have figured out that the stamp seen in this picture is my very first stamp I bought .... to the best of my knowledge anyway.

I stamped the image on white card and used my rectangle nestabilities to create my layers. I used my paper piercing mat & tool to add paper piercing along both edges of the so saffron panel.

Recipe:
Stamps: Friends Forever - Unknown
Paper: White; Pretty In Pink, So Saffron & Chocolate Chip - SU; DP - Basic Grey
Other: Black Ink; Rectangle Nestabilities; Paper Piercing Mat & Tool; Brown Grosgrain Ribbon; Pink & Brown Flowers; Yellow Brad; Foam Tape