SSD Sketch Tuesday and Blog Hop!

Hi everyone! I'm so excited you've come for a visit via the Skipping Stones Designs Blog Hop today! I'm so looking forward to working with all of these super talented ladies you're hopping to and from! Today the newest members of the Design Team were officially announced, so needless to say I'm all sorts of happy! ;) You'll meet all of the "Stamp Tramps" on the hop, as well as see some Splitcoast Stampers Dirty Dozen and DD Alumni along the way!

If you've just happened upon my blog, you can CLICK HERE to start from the beginning at Skipping Stones Design. You should have arrived here from Belinda Chang's blog!


Along the way, the Skipping Stones Design Team (aka the Stamp Tramps) will have blog candy for you to enter. As an added bonus, there will also be 4 stamp sets (new stamp sets not yet released) hidden along the hop, but we’re not telling you where so be sure to leave some love as you hop!!! Make sure you leave comments on every post so you have a chance to win!! The winners will be announced on Friday, January 8th at Skipping Stones Design.


For the blog hop today the Stamp Tramps are using the Tuesday sketch created by our January Sketch artist Amy Sheffer! If you haven't been by her blog you must! She is immensely talented and creates such breathtaking cards! Here is our sketch for today!

I decided for my first ever SSD sketch to use my favorite stamp set Cupcake Cutie! There are so many ways to use this set that I never tire of using it! You can see three different cards and three different ways to use this set from a post I did last week. For this card I decided to show yet another way you can use these cupcakes! ;) Seriously so versatile and super fun to mix and match! Instead of stamping the frosting base with embossing glitter, this time I added glitter to the frosting outline after I'd stamped it. Such a fun look, right?!

You'll notice I flipped the sketch, and that my circle is a little bigger than that square. I'm cool with it if you are. ;) I loved that cupcake paper so much I had to make sure a bit more of it showed! The yellowish square is the reverse of the cupcake paper. I love getting more mileage out of my paper when I can use the reverse side! I added a little scalloped border to the long piece, and tied on a ribbon to dress it up. The sentiment was embossed with white ep to keep with the soft feel of the card.

Here's another card with this sketch using Chic Martini! Seriously, I LOVE this set and I just couldn't stop at one card! ;) I made a few cards with this set last week as well, and I just can't seem to stop using it! I also paired it with the sentiment from Margarita Birthday, and accented the saying with stars from Chic Martini.

I flipped the sketch on its side too, and although I "lost" half a circle at the bottom, I love how bright and funky it turned out! The rainbow dot paper jumped out at me, and just screamed to be used with this set! So I added in a few pinks, brads, bling, and some crystal effects! I angled the glasses to look like they were "clinking" together for a cheers! :)

While we are on the subject of cheers - My husband Jake and his "man friend" or his "hetero life mate" Nick, (seriously what do you call a guys bff?!) are serious Sopranos lovers, so everytime we all do a cheers we say "Salute" which is Italian for "Cheers". Anyone else have a fun way or tradition to cheers your drinks instead of a normal "cheers"? Just curious!

So do you have a favorite stamp set already as you've hopped from the last few blogs?! I hope you get to see some more of these stamps in action as they are all super cute and so hilarious! The next stop on this fun blog hop is to Deb Felts so head on over! But first, make sure to leave a comment here to win some blog candy! I do have a stamp set to give away, but I'm keeping it a secret just because I can, hehe! ;) You will be so happy with it though, I know! I'm wishing I could keep it, haha! Good luck!

**Oh and, did you notice that Coffee Vol. 1 is being released today as well?! I will have some cards tomorrow with this set, so don't forget to come back! ;) Also, today and tomorrow ALL stamps are 25% OFF! The code is 25OFF at checkout so make sure to add that in with your order!

Supplies

Cupcake Cutie
CS: Chocolate Chip, Pretty in Pink, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White
DSP: Kaisercraft - Sugar Sugar (Buttercream)
Ink: Close to Cocoa, Pretty in Pink, Pink Pirouette, Versamark
Stamp: Cupcake Cutie from Skipping Stones Design
Misc: Embossed Curve border punch (EK Success), decorative stick pins (Fancy Pants), designer button (SU), dmc floss, white ep, satin ribbon, Creative Memories circle cutter, dazzling diamonds


Cheers!
CS: Basic Black, Pixie Pink, Pink Passion, Whisper White
DSP: We R Memory Keepers - Tiffany's (Farrow)
Ink: Basic Black, Pink Passion
Stamp: Margarita Birthday and Chic Martini from Skipping Stones Design
Misc: Copic YG03, gemstones, silver brads, crystal effects

Just a Teaser!

Thanks to the fabulous Erin, here is a little teaser for tomorrow! ;)

10 Minute Scrap Pile Challenge

If you've ever visited the talented Jess Witty's blog, then you know what the 10 Minute Scrap Pile Challenge is. Each week she'll use the scraps in her pile (hence the name, ha!) to make a card in 10 minutes. (hence...) So this weekend I thought I might just have a go at her challenge. Now, I had a lot of scraps in my little basket from loooonnnng ago. Some I actually threw away because I knew I was never going to do anything with it for one reason or another. It was actually kind of fun going through my old things and trying to remember just why I'd stamped that image, or when I'd cut out that shape on my Cricut. Some I rememered, most I didn't!

Anyway, here is what I was leftover with after I'd rummaged through my basket. (I'd been to a crop that day so my regular crafty stuff was a little in disarray as I'd decided to unpack/craft at the same time. FYI - never a good idea!)

I had patterned papers, a scalloped border, some embellishments, cut outs, stamped images, and even embossed cardstock in that basket. The brown card with ribbon was in there too...still trying to figure out where I was going with that one when I chucked it in the basket! I must have gone in a totally different direction with colors I guess!

I also had a little help from my kitty Roxy. ;) Usually she sits on my lap (seriously difficult to craft when she does that!), but I guess she thought that made a good as spot as any to take a nap.

Roxy: Please, get that camera out of my face! Can't you tell I'm trying to nap here?

Ok so 10ish minutes later I had a card done! I say "ish" because I kept having to reach for a few things that were still packed, like adhesive! Anyway, am I happy with this card? Meh, kinda, haha, its definitely interesting and something out of my box I guess. Am I glad I tried it though and used up pieces in my scrap basket? Oh ya! Everything from the card base (with the already tied on ribbon!), the cut out leaves and tag, and even the threaded button were in that basket. I didn't even have to cut the patterened paper. I just used it as was and called it good! The only thing I added was the swirls to the leaves, so all in all it was a super quick card! I just loved the sense of throw it on and don't pull anything else out!

Also, don't forget tomorrow is the big FIRST EVER Skipping Stones Design blog hop! You'll want to make sure you go to the Skipping Stones home page for the first blog, and then hop from blog to blog! Leave comments on every blog too for a chance to win some stamp sets! There will be over $300 worth of sets given away, and you can get 25% off Tuesday and Wednesday!! How cool is that?! See you tomorrow for the blog hop and my first ever SSD Sketch Tuesday!

Supplies
CS: Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, misc. dsp
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Stamp: Priceless, Pocket Silhouettes
Misc: Gypsy Wanderings cartridge (leaves), George cartridge (tag), So Saffron ribbon, linen thread, button

Guest Designer Today!

Today is the day! I have a tutorial posted on the Die Cuts R Us Blog! Make sure you pop on over to take a look! I used products from the Die Cuts R Us Store and had a blast playing around with them! If you like what you see below, I have links for each thing on my tutorial. So hop on over! ;)

There are a few other tutorials going on this week so make sure you check them out as well for some inspiration.

Here's a sneak peek of my project, but you'll have to take a look on the blog for the full thing! ;)

Happy New Year!

Well I don't know about all of you, but I had a blast last night! My friends helped me celebrate my birthday and we partied it up for New Years! I snapped this pic as it flashed 2010 on the TV, and although its not that great of a picture, I thought it kind of fit for today!

Since its the 1st, I can share a card that was published in the December CARDS magazine with you!

Also, on the CARDS Magazine blog today I have two cards up! Thanks Paige! ;) There was a challenge for New Years cards, and you can also get a peek at one of the cards I have in the January issue.

Hope this is a great start to a wonderful new year for you all!

Happy Birthday (to me)!

Today is MY BIRTHDAY! I'm always asked how I feel about having my birthday so close to Christmas, and especially on New Years Eve. Honestly, my parents made sure everything was kept seperate so I always had plenty to go around! ;) They would even take all the ornaments off the Christmas tree and decorate it with balloons and streamers! That's probably one of my fondest memories of growing up, actually. I knew my parents wanted to make my day special and they always did! They never went out on New Years Eve either, even though I told them it didn't matter to me, haha! My husband also makes sure I'm treated extra special on my birthday too, thanks babe! I always say that everyone celebrates my birthday too...you didn't know it, but really you are! Cause I'm a cool kid, and you're all celebrating that I'm here!

So this year I decided that since its been well over 10 years that I've had a "birthday tree" I would do one for myself! ;) Here it is! This one is for you Mom and Dad! :D





Tonight we'll be ringing in the New Year and celebrating my birthday with a few friends. We'll be playing Rock Band, drinking and eating, and wearing our PJ's the whole time! ;) An idea that came up at my Christmas Party so we all said we'd do it, haha! My amazing friend Sharon made some invites with the Cricut cartridge Paper Dolls to make the dolls in their pj's holding stamped champagne glasses! Take a look at her blog for the awesome invites she made! See why I love my friends?!! :)

Also, since I'm feeling in the birthday mood, how about some birthday cards?! These are all from the You Know You're Getting Old set from Skipping Stones Design.

So I'm not sure what my favorite saying in this set is because I keep laughing every time I read them! ;) This one totally cracks me up! You'd never guess from the outside what it will say! I colored in the sandals with my Copics (going back over with the Colorless blender to soften them) and then added a rhinestone in the center for some bling. This set comes with the two flip flops (oops sorry thongs, ha!) but they aren't connected which is perfect for positioning them any way you want them! I love that feature! I stuck the first one right side up on my clear block, but the other I flipped. So each time I stamped they stayed in the same place making it super easy to make my own little border!

And then this hilarious saying on the inside! I choose to position both flip flops in the upright position so that it would pair well with the sentiment. I actually put all four stamps on one block and stamped it all at once. This is a great time saver if you are making several cards!


When I saw this next sentiment I knew I wanted to play around with the words, and do a notebook type theme. I had a mini composition book that I ripped out a single sheet and punched it with my spiral punch from SU. Then I added a mini libray clip and got that notebook look I was going for! A few brads and a black bow (you know like over the hill and to go with the black book saying, hehe) and I was done! It was such a simple card but I think whoever I give this to will just love it!

This last card was a fun one to make! I wanted to try making a card to show how you can combine the "You know" part with the picture and the saying all in one card front. I love being able to have the funny sentiment on the inside, but sometimes you just want it all on the front! By paper piecing the pillow, and rounding only two corners, it gave this a unique look that makes it stand out. I also added a few rhinestones to the pillow and a little hardware piece for fun.

Do you have anyone you'd love to give a card to from this set to? There are some super funny sayings and I can't wait to use the little car and cake on a card!

Have a Happy New Year!

Supplies

Thong Birthday
CS: So Saffron, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black
Stamp: You Know You're Gettin Old - Skipping Stones Design
Misc: Celery grosgrain, scallop border punch, gemstones


Little Black Book
CS: Certainly Celery DSP: SU Prints Pack II
Ink: Basic Black
Stamp: You Know You're Gettin Old - Skipping Stones Design
Misc: Paper, library clip, black satin ribbon, brads, spiral punch

Happy Hour
CS: Regal Rose, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black
Stamp: You Know You're Gettin Old - Skipping Stones Design
Misc: Velvet ribbon - American Crafts, corner rounder, gemstones, hardware ribbon slide

Crafty Goodies!

So my family really knows me so well! My hunky husband got me a Big Shot (Express!) (and some SU dies) for Christmas, and my Mom and Dad got me the Gypsy! Did I score or what?! I'm so excited to finally get to use both of these! We were out of town over the weekend and the last two nights I've been trying to get unpacked and all the toys from Christmas organized, as well as cleaning up the Christmas stuff! (Does that sound like all of you too?!) So, needless to say I'm DYING to use these!

So last night I read the destructions. (instructions, family joke) And ok, ok, only part of the instructions really. I was too in a hurry to just cut something! I did all the Gypsy updates too, so I was finally ready to go! The manual was online and my husband was so proud of me that I actually read it (or half of it anyways). I never read the manuals...I just figure it out as I go because I'm stubborn like that! I also won't ever ask for directions, or ask a worker where something is at in the store...such a stubborn Capricorn am I! Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn't, HA! But with this I had to read the manual (or part of it)! ;) (Still working on my camera manual by the way, and by working on it, I mean its sitting out for me to read it...baby steps people).

After I finally got everything together and ready to go, I wondered if my parents realized they bought a super high tech gadget for a blond, ditzy girl! (Mom I know you are reading this and laughing your butt off but its true!) Jake always tells me I'm the smartest dumb girl he knows! ;) I definitely think I'm too dumb to use this thing! HA! Anyway, I was super impressed with just the few things I did with it! I also love the two cartridges that come with it and was acting like a spaz showing Jake all the cool stuff and my brilliance (or lack thereof) about this awesome gadget. There are seriously so many cool features like the multipass (oh haha, Fifth Element reference I am laughing now, anyone else with me on this one, please say yes!) cutting feature that will cut the same cut path multiple times for thicker materials, and the add and return to design features. Wow, I may actually have to read the whole manual now! ;)

Anyway, blathering aside, I'll have a card to share next Friday for certain challenge blog that uses one of the cartridges the Gypsy comes with (and a Big Shot cut as well!). ;) But, I thought I better share something with all the yakity yak going on, so here is my first use of my Big Shot! Holy crap I love this thing already!

I cut the butterflies out with the SU Beautiful Butterflies die and then stamped (and embossed on the second card) a swirl from the Priceless set. The sentiments are both from Cupcake Cutie from Skipping Stones Design. Notice the patterned paper? Its some leftover I had from the project I did for my Guest Designer spot at Die Cuts R Us. You can see my tutorial on January 2nd! This is from the Blue Skies collection, and you can find them here and here!

Supplies

Sweet Butterflies
CS: Kraft, DSP: American Crafts Blue Skies
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Stamp: Priceless (SU), Cupcake Cutie from Skipping Stones Design
Misc: buttons, dmc floss, faux stitching, Beautiful Butterflies Big Shot die

Congratulations Butterflies
CS: Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze, DSP: American Crafts Blue Skies
Ink: Versamark, Chocolate Chip
Stamp: Priceless (SU), Cupcake Cutie from Skipping Stones Design
Misc: Regal Rose grosgrain ribbon, linen thread, corduroy button, clear ep, Beautiful Butterflies Big Shot die, MS Cornice border punch

Chic Martini!

Here's another fun set from Skipping Stones Design! As soon as I saw this one I knew I needed it! It wasn't a matter of wanting, it really was a NEED, haha! ;) This is another set with fantastic details, fun fonts, and realistic looking images! I have so many more plans for this set, I'm sure it will stay on my desk. I think I'll be constantly reaching for it for awhile!

At first glance, you might think Chic Martini is just a set to make New Years or Girls Night Out invites, but there is so much more to this set! Take a look at the cards below and tell me what you think! Can you see yourself taking this set to another level?!

First, I have a card that I'd envisioned before I even got the stamp set! The idea came to me at work one day so I quickly sketched it out, and it was the first card I made with this set. How many of you struggle over a card to give your spouse at Valentine's Day?! You don't want it too girly, fussy, or over the top, but you want to give him a card that shows your love for him, (and for stamping!), right?! ;) HA! I know I do anyways! Here's a card I think would be perfect for most guys out there! It has some ribbon and bling on it, but it speaks man to me! From the dark colors and martini glass, to the cool glossy accents, it's a man card.

To create my background, I used the spiral and star burst (ok ok asterisk, but star burst sounds cooler!) in this set stamped in Versamark, and then embossed with Clear embossing powder. It adds just the right combination of pop without being too dramatic. For the martini glass, I stamped in black, and then colored in the olive with a Copic marker, and added some red gemstones. Then I used crystal effects for a glossy sheen! After stamping the sentiment on the patterned paper, I positioned and stamped the olive, and then added some more bling.

Here's a close up of the martini glass, isn't is too fun?! Do you think the men in your life might get a kick out of this kind of card? I know mine did! :)

Next up is a fun and flirty card that I would totally give to one of my besties! I say it all the time, but I seriously have the best friends a girl could have! :) (I am so truly lucky, but I'll quit blathering!) Anyway, wouldn't this be a super cheery card to brighten up someone's day?! I paired the sentiment from Cupcake Cutie with this little strawberry daquiri, and I know I'm going to be saying "Oh La La" all the time now! That font with the girly drink just makes me giggle, how about you? This could really be an all occasion card because the images aren't for a specific holiday or reason.

Isn't that little umbrella super cute?! Yummmm I'm wanting one these, ha! Can it be summer already? This snow is killing me when I'm envisioning sipping one of these babies by the beach! Ahhh a girl can dream! ;) What I loved about this glass when creating my card was how that button fit perfectly into the side when I was adding it and the ribbon to my cardstock. Its like the button and the glass were made for each other!

Did you notice I used the same ribbon for each project? Isn't it amazing to see how just a few different colors and a different approach can totally change each one?

Here's one other card with the set! Its a New Years card, but its not traditional by any means! I went wild and pulled some funky colors together! Don't be afraid to mix things up every now and then! You might be surprised at what works together when you step a little bit out of the box! I used a bright pink, olive, and baby blue to make this (dare I say?) retro looking card! I colored in the olives with my Copic marker like I did above, but used a lighter green, and then pink gemstones! I took a light blue and outlined the glass and used the Colorless Blender to soften the edges. Then I used a two way glue pen and piled on the glitter! Who wouldn't want a sparkly, glittery drink? ;)

Here's a close up of the glass full of glitter!

Make sure to come back next Tuesday as the new "Stamp Tramp" Design Team will be in full gear with a blog hop and the weekly SSD Sketch! I will DEFINITELY have some blog candy (aka a stamp set from SSD!) so you don't want to miss it! I love this set and wish I could keep it, haha! I'll keep it a surprise until next week though!

Take a look at what the other Stamp Tramps came up with for the last sketch in December at the SSD Blog today! I'm so excited to work with these super talented ladies, and to play with the sketches starting next week!

Supplies

Olive My Love
CS: Basic Black, Whisper White, Real Red - Prints Pack II DSP
Ink: Basic Black
Stamp: Chic Martini - Skipping Stones Design
Misc: crystal effects, gemstones, polka dot grosgrain ribbon, clear ep, Copic G17

Oh La La
CS: So Saffron, Real Red, Whisper White, Prints Pack II DSP
Ink: Regal Rose, Real Red, So Saffron
Stamp: Chic Martini, Cupcake Cutie (sentiment) - Skipping Stones Design
Misc: polka dot grosgrain ribbon, regal rose grosgrain ribbon, scallop border, dmc floss, buttons

Happy New Year
CS: Pink Passion, Bashful Blue, Whisper White, SU Picnic DSP
Ink: Basic Black
Stamp: Chic Martini - Skipping Stones Design
Misc: Cricut George (for tag), Martha Stewart Cornice border punch, gemstones, dazzling diamonds, Copic YG03, B00 and Colorless Blender, Earth Elements button, silver cord, olive and black ribbons

Cupcake Cutie!

I recently got my stamps from Skipping Stones Design, and I have been in stamp heaven! I am IN LOVE with these stamps! I stamped up a storm on Saturday (while visiting the grandparents and aunts and uncles in Idaho!), and wanted to share some cards made with my new favorite stamp set!

If I have to pick a favorite, it would have to be Cupcake Cutie! There are soooo many cute sets and they all make me laugh, but I love, love, love this one! The font, the details, and the "yumminess" of the cupcakes make it a great stamp set! Seriously, the pictures don't do this set justice!

First, the font is just amazing! It's swirled with fun and makes me smile! The sentiments are also so cute and are so versatile! There's thick frosting and yummy sprinkles, and the swirl at the top of the frosting is so cute! What an amazing detail to add, right?! I totally didn't even notice it at first until I stamped it. I was so excited and surprised when I made that happy little discovery! It makes me want to whip up a batch of thick and creamy cupcakes with lots of sprinkles! Ok, ok, I wouldn't be doing the baking (haha), but you know what I mean! ;)

So, if you are trying to decide which sets to get, I highly recommend this cute one! There is FREE SHIPPING on orders $30 or more right now, so this would be a great time to pick it up! If you're still uncertain about what to get, I have three cards that show off all the different ways you can use this set!

First, I wanted to add some glitter to that super yummy frosting! Isn't it the perfect base for glitter?! Oh ya I totally wanted to eat it right off the card, haha! I stamped the base of the cupcake in Regal Rose, and then the frosting in So Saffron. Then I went back over and stamped the frosting in Versamark so I could emboss with Iridescent Ice. Because these are clear stamps you can line up the frosting and base, and even re-stamp your images like I did with the Versamark! See that cute sentiment?! It is so Sweet! Hehe, I love this little saying and I can see myself using it on sooo many cards! A little bit of ribbon, a border, and a button tie this card off! Its super simple, but really makes the focus all about those yummy looking cupcakes!

Next, is a card that focuses on the two step stampin of this set. You can see a video of this fun technique here on the SSD Blog. I was so inspired by the purples in the video that I had to duplicate it! You can stamp off like in the video, or use two colors that are a shade apart from each other. I used Pale Plum and Perfect Plum to acheive my two step stamped look. See the little frosting dollop at the top? That's the detail in this set I'm talking about! I thought the Congratulations sentiment was so fun and could be used for so many occassions. Just a couple little buttons and hemp, and this card is ready to spread a little love to someone!

Lastly is a card that uses the sprinkles in the set. I love the funky colors in this card, and they happen to be one of my cousins favorite colors! ;) My cousins asked if I could make a birthday card for my youngest cousin while we were all in Idaho. I would have never combined these together, but they told me her favorite colors are purple and lime green. So I used two purples and celery, and I'm loving this funky color combo with the sprinkles! Again, the sentiments make me smile, and I love having a fun saying to add to the inside of my card! I also found the best way (for me anyways!) to add the sprinkles was to stamp at the top, then directly below that one at the bottom. Then, angle the sprinkle stamp to stamp each of the sides, and you have a perfectly sprinkled cupcake! Super simple to do, and an ingenious design to make it work together! I loved playing with the polka dot base so much that I went with the Swiss Dots embossing folder to add more dots into the card, and a scallop border to ground the design. The silk flower is from ZVA creative and was the perfect purple match to go with the funky card. I love how the ribbon looks like the petals!

Here's the inside of the card with the cute sentiment! This could work for birthdays, encouragement, or even friend cards! Who wouldn't want to get a card telling them how sweet they are? I know I would, haha!

So are you sold on Cupcake Cutie yet?! Hehe, I love this set so much, (how many times have I said that, haha!) and I think it would be a great addition to anyone's stamp collection! I can't wait to "whip up another batch" of these cupcakes! So much more gratifying to me, and certainly not adding on any extra pounds that I'm trying so hard to get rid of! ;)

Still not sold?! To make this deal even SWEETER, check out my fellow DT member Erin's blog! She is GIVING AWAY a Cupcake Cutie set! Sweet deal! She even extended the deadline, so you have until January 4th to create a card with an SSD sketch (SSD stamps not required but we'd love to see them if you have them!) and link it up at her blog. Check out the link for the full rules, but its super simple and I'm sure will be TONS of fun! If you need even more reason to get this set, take a look at Erin's posts here, here, and here! She's done some amazing things with these cupcakes!

If you get this set, I'd love to see what you do with it! :)

**Oh also, Kim Teasdale who has been the Guest Sketch Artist this month, has a GIVEAWAY as well! Simply leave her a comment to be entered to win Margarita Birthday! Hurry though, she will be posting the winner tomorrow the 29th!

Supplies

Sweet!
CS: Kraft, So Saffron
Ink: Regal Rose, So Saffron, Versamark
Stamp: Cupcake Cutie - Skipping Stones Design
Misc: Regal Rose grosgrain ribbon, button, hemp, Iridescent Ice ep, Martha Stewart Cornice border punch

Congratulations
CS: Chocolate Chip, Pale Plum, Perfect Plum, Whisper White
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Pale Plum, Perfect Plum
Stamp: Cupcake Cutie - Skipping Stones Design
Misc: Scallop border punch, buttons, hemp, Stitched Chocolate Chip ribbon

I wish...
CS: Lavendar Lace, Elegant Eggplant, Whisper White, Certainly Celery
Ink: Lavendar Lace, Elegant Eggplant, Certainly Celery
Stamp: Cupcake Cutie - Skipping Stones Design
Misc: Scallop border punch, ZVA silk flower, Bold Brights button, dmc floss, Celery twill ribbon, CB Swiss Dots embossing folder

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone!! I hope your day is a fun filled one! This is pre-scheduled as I'm probably hanging out with the family and enjoying our time together by the time you read this!

Oh, and BTW - Jake totally came through on his promise of a new camera! I am the proud owner of a Canon PowerShot SX20 IS!! Can I tell you how much I am already in love with this camera?!! ;)

The Just Buggin team has another set of fun projects for you this week! Be sure to become a follower so you don't miss the daily inspiration we have for you. There's sure to be something for everyone!

The challenge this week is #17 - Inky Fingers - Use ink to alter your die cuts

Now, I don't know about you all, but I LOVE to get all inky and dirty when I'm stamping or crafting! If I don't end up with a few different colors of ink on my fingers (or arms, or face...hehe!) then I know I didn't really have fun. Rest assured that as I type this my fingers are very messy! ;)

I decided that since it is Christmas day I'd do one last Christmas card for a little awhile. I used the Storybook cartridge for all my cuts on this card.

I inked up both the JOY and the 25, along with the marquee shape. These were flat plain letters when I started, and now they have so much texture and look distressed! I wish I would have taken "before" and "after" pictures, haha!

My tip on the blog: Don't be afraid to use inks on dark colors of cardstock! It actually adds lots of dimension!

I really do love adding ink onto darker colors of cardstock. Surprisingly, the ink seems to pop right off, and add a fun texture! For the base patterned paper, I ran it through the Swiss Dots CB folder and then lightly sanded down the bumps. After that I streaked it through my ink pad to bring back the browns, but to give it that distressed look. It looked a little drab with the browns and greens, so a red button pulls everything together! Also, I did a different detail in the buttons to add interest and mix things up!

Oh also, one thing I love to do, is flip over my double sided paper and use the opposite side to get instantly coordinated papers for my project! Both the JOY and 25 cuts were the reverse of the other two patterned papers!

A close up so you can see the textures and other fun things! See, I'm totally loving my new camera!!

Supplies
CS: Chocolate Chip
DSP: My Minds Eye
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Misc: hemp, buttons, Swiss Dots CB folder, Storybook Cricut cartridge, nail file (for sanding)

Skipping Stones Design!!

To quote a popular phrase I hear in blogland - "I'm over the moon excited!" Actually, its more like I'm over the sun, moon and stars excited! I applied for the Skipping Stones Design Team, and I am thrilled (um I'll be honest its more like bouncing off the walls trying to contain myself) to announce I'll be joining the lovely Stamp Tramps! ;) The stamps are spunky, sassy and seriously hilarious, and I can't wait to work with Heather and the talented DT girls! I also cannot wait to get my hands on these "bad babies" (to quote Brady!) and do some stampin!

Do you ever look at a stamp set and have a bazillion ideas going through your head of cards you could make, or ways you could stamp it? Oh-ya, uh-huh, that's exactly what these stamps do to me! *squeal* Knowing my friends and family, I know these funny, witty, and silly sayings will be perfect for them! So, if you haven't taken a peek at these sets (that are totally made of WIN), then what are you still doing here reading this?! (Just kidding, keep reading and then you can go look!) ;)

For the call you needed to create some samples, and include a card or two that used the sketches on the blog. I used the first and third sketches (done by Heather) from the blog for these two cards:

I'm so utterly grateful and so thankful to Heather for this opportunity, and I can't wait to show you all some of the stamps in action! :) If you want to see some already AMAZING ideas and super cute cards, check out the DT Blog and also check out the incredible sketches by the talented Kim Teasdale who was the Guest Sketch Designer for December!

I've planned out a couple ideas and I'm so excited for when I see my box of stamps on my doorstep...heeeeee! I will be holed up in my craft room getting inky, making a mess, and very much enjoying myself! I'm totally proud to say I'm a Stamp Tramp! I guess reading the list and definition below I've always known it was true, but now its official!

PS - Free Shipping on orders $30 or more for a limited time! So hop to it! Take a look at the stamp store and I'm sure you will be laughing and adding sets to your shopping cart in no time!

**If you heard a rumor there might be some blog candy and free stamp sets coming up...you'd be right! ;) Stay tuned for more details on that!

Here's the definition of a Stamp Tramp:

*Stamp Tramp: N :1a: a saucy girl who will do just about anything for stamps. 1b: one, who was born to stamp, but forced to work. See also Stamp Slut

*Top Ten Signs You Might be a Stamp Tramp:

1.You are actually reading this top ten list

2.Your husband lets you have all the stamps you can hide (HA, soooooo true!!)

3.When people talk stamps, you don’t think Postage (ok seriously, I do this ALL the time!)

4.Your fingers have ink on them right now (when do my fingers NOT have ink on them?)

5.You consider stamplifting “a crime of passion”

6.You spill a little wine on your cardstock and call it an “OFE” (Opportunity for embellishment)

7.You leave your MIB (Man In Brown) little sticky notes like “Please hide the box under the bushes”

8.You like getting dirty (Think ink)

9.You’ve mastered your stamp kissing technique

10.You wash your hands “before” going to the bathroom. ‘Cause there are some places even Stamp Tramps don’t want glitter.

*The above list and definition is Copyright Skipping Stones Design Oct. 2009

Supplies - Everything
CS: Pink Pirouette, Whisper White, Chocolate Chip
Ink: Pretty in Pink, Pink Pirouette, Certainly Celery, Chocolate Chip
Stamp: Always
Misc: Fancy Pants decorative stick pins, Celery twill, Filigree brads, gemstones

Supplies - True Friend
CS: Chocolate Chip, Kraft, Very Vanilla
DSP: MME
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Stamp: True Friend
Misc: Modern Label Punch, Chip grosgrain, buttons

Create It Green!

As a Mom of two I sometimes sit and think about what the future will be like for my kiddos. I do worry about the future for my kids and eventual grand kids (yikes that's a scary thought!). I want to make sure I'm doing even one small thing to possibly make a brighter future for the next generations. One thing that's a family effort in our house is recycling. The kids know which items to set aside to put in our recycling bin. We have the city pickup every other week, and you can bet we are filling it up with all we can! ;)

As a scrapbooker and cardmaker, I'm trying to make sure I'm pulling my own weight in the recycling arena as well! I save all my scraps of paper to be used in later projects in a scrap pile, and I save the "tossable" scraps to be put in with our normal recyling. Once I found the Create It Green blog, I knew I needed to start incorporating more "green" ideas into my scrapbooking. The idea of reusing, repurposing, and recycling might be a challenge at first, but take a look at things you have on hand and see how you can use it on a layout or card!

I found being Green was easier than I thought, and here's a layout I submitted with their sketch for the DT call. I was so estatic when I got the email that I was invited to be on the DT, and I'm super excited to share some ideas and inspiration with you each month! I received this great news along with my acceptance from Skipping Stones Design (more on that later!) the same day, what a day! Since this is going to be a once a month sketch layout, I know I'll be able to devote my time and attention to both teams, which is great news! :)

These are the GREEN items I used on my layout!

- Pages from an old book

- Buttons from an old shirt

- All paper (aside from the 12x12 sheet) were from my scrap pile

Just a fun tip to get more out of your papers too - I use my Cricut a lot for letters and shapes, but I save the paper negative after its been cut out. There is usually a half to quarter inch left at the top and sides that is perfect for mounting photos on. It already has an edge for your photos, and no one will see the cut out behind your photo! ;)

The little puffy flowers were punched out with my scallop punch, secured with a brad, and then each layer was crinkled starting with the top layer. You can see a little tutorial for these here. The letters were cut out with the Jasmine cartridge.

This was a really fun page to put together and I hope you'll join in on creating Green pages too! They've picked a great Design Team to help share Green ideas in cards, layouts, and altered items so be sure to stop by the blog to check em out! We'll be starting up in January and I already have a long list of "green supplies" that I'm itching to try out!

Supplies
CS: Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla
DSP: Scenic Route, Stampin' Up!
Misc: buttons, linen thread, pearls (The Paper Studio), scallop circle punch, 5 petal flower punch, scallop scissors, hole punch, lace (Bo Bunny), corner rounder, brads, book pages

Sneak Peek!

A little sample of the goodies I bought at the Die Cuts R Us online shop! These are some of the materials I'll be using for my tutorial on January 2nd! Curious yet?! ;) I can't wait to show you all, and see what the other ladies have come up with! It will be super fun that's for sure!

These are all part of the Blue Skies collection by American Crafts. Did you know in the search feature on the store website you can pull up anything by the collection name? Its a great way to see everything in a current collection all in one viewing page! I love that!!

Have you become a follower on the DCRU DT blog yet? There's a giveaway going on, but the blog needs to hit 500 followers first! So if you haven't become a follower yet, be sure to, and then tell all your friends! You don't want to miss the DT blog hop, a week full of tutorial posts, and the even sweeter chance to win an Epic Six with a grab bag of QuicKutz dies!!

Just Buggin #16

This week over at Just Buggin' we're making gifts for our loved ones! What better way to show someone you love them than by giving them a handmade gift?!

Here's the challenge this week: Challenge 16 -Santa's Helper - Make a gift for someone you love!

Now, when I think of my loved ones, I do include my dog, who even though he's a brat, he's still part of our family.

Even though he almost ruined Christmas one year (seriously CRAZY story!), I still love that dog. So I thought my project this week would be geared towards Brecken. He loves having rawhides, so I wanted to make a fun canister to hold all of his treats and rawhides in! Its the gift that keeps on giving, because I'll get lots of use out of it! ;)

Using vinyl, I cut out the dog face with Doodlecharms, and Opposites Attract, All Mixed Up, and Makin' the Grade cartridges for the words Ruff, Bark and Woof. It really was a snap to add these to the canister!

My tip on the blog: Don't forget about the pets in your life this holiday! ;) Adapt this idea to transform your sugar/flour/coffee canisters! To make a little "collar" on my canister, I added brads and some hardware, then secured it in the back with some glue dots.

I hope you are inspired to make a gift for your loved one and share it with us at the Just Buggin Blog!

Supplies
Misc: Canister, Cricut Black Vinyl, ribbon, pewter hodgepodge hardware and brads, Doodlecharms, All Mixed Up, Makin' the Grade, Opposites Attract cartridges

Friend Gifts

Gwynie wanted to give all her friends a little gift this year so I proposed a lip gloss holder, and she loved the idea! Seriously, what 10 year old girl doesn't love bling, glitter and lip gloss?! You can find the template here with instuctions for cutting.

The night before Gwynie went through my scrap pile of Christmas paper, and picked out the ones she wanted to use. I made three up today and she can make the other 5 tomorrow! :) The kids are at my in-laws having a sleepover and Jake has been at a Wrestling tournament for the last two days. So needless to say, I had an hour of free time on my hands that I put to good use. She'll probably be mad at me for starting without her though, haha!

I thought these fit in with the DRCU challenge of making a project with a holiday feel.