Something to blog about...

Check out this blog candy offered by Elzybells. They are offering some fabulous new sets. Gotta love these - my favorites are the coffee, tea and cupcake sets! Click here to see the new stamps being released...

Slow and Steady TSG Blog Hop and Blog Candy

Click here for sneak peaks on There She Goes blog hop and blog candy. Here is a chance to win some TSG sets...

I only own one TSG set so far...so it will be nice for a chance to win some fab sets!

LS207 Stretch Yourself - Green...the NEW Color of LOVE Valentine

Limited Supply Challenge (LS) 207

This is not your typical Valentine card...I created this with my hubby in mind. After I picked up my son from preschool, we went grocery shopping and saw these green M&M's single bags by the cashier. I had seen this Trash to Treasure project done by debbiedee and this was my inspiration piece: http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/ga...mp;thumbcheck. Check 0ut her blog, she has some other awesome examples of Trash to Treasure projects using empty toliet paper rolls. I also created a matching card to go with the candy.

This project was a "stretch" for me because:

- I have never decorated/altered a toilet paper roll before

- I am normally a hoarder so I only use my patterned paper for special gifts for friends and family. I finally opened up my now retired Stampin' Up dp called Playhouse. The dp I used matched the M&M candy wrapping pretty well.

- Normally my sentiments/journaling are stamped in one area and all of the words are altogether. This time, I decided to stamp and cut the words apart. Inspiration for this came from the newly released MemoryMakers magazine that I have been reading.

- This is the first I've inked up the $1 clear stamp I bought from Jo's about 3 yrs ago.

- Sad to post, I know, but...Normally I don't make enough cards for my hubby because we normally don't have time to think about each other (yes, I know that is bad) and exchange gifts like we used to. Normally our "date" consists of relaxing at home with the kids and watch a (a kid/animated) movie or favorite show until we all get tired then go to bed. To rekindle a little bit of romance into our lives, I thought I would surprise him with a little something. He called me before school started to thank me and told me how thoughtful I was.

stamps: $1 clear stamp from jo's, love matters, k marcella condensed alphabet paper: brocade blue/white cs, playhouse dp ink: old olive, versamark accessories: label template from archivers, dimensionals, wide blue grossgrain ribbon, empty toilet paper roll

SCS Inspiration Challenge IC166 - Matryoshka Doll

SCS Inspiration Challenge (IC) 166

There so many great inspiration pieces from the IC166 challenge that I decided to add this card. I had this in my stash for awhile when I thought of making my mom a thank you card that looked like a Matryoshka doll. She brought one back for me from Russia when she and my dad went on a cruise last year. There was also a template available for a Matryoshka doll gift card holder in the Papercrafts Magazine Nov-Dec issue (please note that I just created a regular card and not a gift card holder). I just never uploaded this card because I just wasn't happy with it. But when I was browsing through the Inspiration Challenge for 2.7.09...I saw this beautiful inspiration: http://www.hunkydoryhome.co.uk/hunky...ion-p-601.

Template from Papercrafts Mag Nov-Dec issue: Matryoshka Doll Gift Card Template

stamps: no stamps used paper: red/yellow/teal cs ink: real red for lips, basic black for eyes accessories: spring bouquet punch, 3d paint glittering crystal, swiss dots/d'vine swirls cuttlebug embossing folders

SCS Inspiration Challenge IC166 - Cupcake Birthday

SCS Inspiration Challenge (IC) 166

I have been wanting to break out my Inkadinkado cupcake stamp set and this was the perfect reason to play. After coloring in the pink frosting, I added some glittery 3D paint to make it look more yummy. The camera did not capture the best part of the card...the frosting and yellow flower glisten IRL.

There were so many great and fun inspiration pieces but I settled with this one: http://www.hunkydoryhome.co.uk/hunkycat/pink-cupcake-cushion-p-310.html

stamps: inkadinkado cupcakes paper: white, teal, dark pink cs, vibrant paper pad dp ink: basic black, pretty in pink, summer sun accessories: white satin ribbon, crimper, scribbles 3D paint verry berry red, pop dots, oval nesties

SCS Sketch Challenge SC214 - Valentine Triceratops

SCS Sketch Card Challenge 214

This is a Valentine card I made for my son to give to his preschool teacher. I have been wanting to ink up this Whipper Snapper stamp for awhile and found a good reason to play with it. I used some Aleene's paper glaze on the pink parts of the triceratops to give it more dimension.

stamps: inkadinkado triceratops paper: white, pink cs ink: basic black, brocade blue, rose red, pretty in pink accessories: clear skittles, pink satin ribbon, aquapainter, cuttlebug heart blocks embossing folder, aleene's paper glaze, pop dots techniques: watercoloring, dry embossing

SCS Limited Supply Challenge LSC205 & CAS

SCS Limited Supply Challenge (LSC) 205

The daughter of one of my MIL's best friend just passed away from battling cancer. She was only 41 yrs old and leaves behind a husband, a young son and daughter. She had been fighting breast cancer for years and then metastasized to the rest of her body. She had undergone chemo and then decided to make a tough decision that may have been detrimental to her health and had her two beautiful children. I always have a hard time making sympathy cards and this was no exception. I was just bawling the whole time I made the cards to send to her family. She just had this quietness about her and never complained of being sick and was still working full-time. She definitely showed a lot of bravery, courage, positive attitude and quiet selflessness. She will be sorely missed.I did not want to make a traditional black and white sympathy...simply because I wanted to celebrate her life. I wanted to portray her spirit as being free of suffering and butterflies symbolize just that - freedom. They are such versatile creatures.

I also found this great sympathy poem that will use over and over again from cuccioo1002. Of course, after reading this...I started crying even more and by the time I was done, my eyes were just puffy and my nose was as red as Rudolf's - LOL!

For the second card...I loved the how the sympathy card came out using these sets, that I decided to make a similar one with a different sentiment. I love all of the sentiments in the PTI Birds of Feather set - they are so versatile. This is another card you can use as a non-traditional sympathy. Who says you have to use "With Sympathy" all of the time on cards, right?

stamps: inkadinkado garden delight, fancy pants bella brush, pti birds of a feather paper: craft, vanilla cs
ink: palette burnt umber, versamark, ruby red accessories: vanilla ribbon, paper piercer

Another sympathy card...

I've been forgetting to take a pic of this card and have used it for a few sympathy cards already. This is such a great layout - thanks Julie for the inspiration! The sentiment came from RSF review set #22. I recieved this set for free from RSF as a part of a program for sets to be released (unfortunately this one never made it which is such a shame because I love using this set alot and reminds of SU's Artfully Asian set). I just love using the sentiments from this set.

The sentiment on this reads: "Wish not so much to live long as to live well." This is such a great sentiment for sympathy cards because I truly believe that it is more important that a person doesn't have any regrets in their life before they pass on.

This card was inspired by Julie Buhler...you can see her card here.

stamps: Rubberstamping Fun Review set #22 paper: black, white cs, polkadot dp ink: basic black, real red, old olive accessories: brad, red grossgrain ribbon, paper piercer

SCS Limited Supply Challenge LSC204 - Enjoy Life

SCS Limited Supply Challenge (LSC) 204

This is the stamp set I won on Tracy Dorton's blog (aka tracylynnOO on SCS) on World Card Making day (H&M A Lil' Behind). I finally got to play with it. The animals in the set are so cute. I had this $1 cow ribbon from M's I bought awhile back (meaning to use it with the Very Punny set) and hadn't used it until now. Though you can really see it much in the pic, the pink panel is embossed with Swiss Dots and the card base is embossed with Houndstooth. I used Aleene's paper glaze on the cow's spots to make it look more 3D. The cow itself has been stamped twice and popped up.

stamps: H&M A Lil' Behind paper: black, white, red, pink cs ink: palette noir, positively pink accessories: cuttlebug houndstooth/swiss dots emb folders, nesties, aleene's paper glaze, word window punch techniques: LSC204