WT177 Happy Scrappy Thoughts

Hi guys!
I have a challenge combo here. Today's 'Ways to use it' at SCS was using any and all scraps from your stash, who doesn't have scraps might I ask! I used scrap card stock, dp and ribbon. The color challenge was Tuesday's Whisper White, Sahara Sand, and Groovy Guava. I didn't have Sahara Sand so I found something close. Yesterday's sketch challenge is right here--



An award?! For me?! Wow! My friend Lauri at beautiful Paperville surprised me with this cool award!
Thanks Lauri, I feel so SPECIAL!!

Here are the rules:
1. The winner can put the logo on his/ her blog.
2. Link to the person you received your award from.
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4. Put links to those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message on the blogs of the people you have nominated

So, are you ready?? Drum roll please.............

- Cathy Crafty Thoughts
- Jodi Stamping a Latte
- Silke My Life
- Susan Random on Purpose
- Mary Stampin' Pretty
- Jan Stamps, paper, scissors
- Denise The Paper Landscaper

Congrats Ladies!!
If you haven't yet, check out these super talented ladies!!

Thanks for stopping by, and don't forget to smile a lot! :):)

FS77 Birthday Mouse

Hi and happy Sunday everyone!
Today's Featured Stamper is Julia aka artystamper, over at SCS. This is one talented lady let me tell you!! I chose to case her adorable card 'Bitty Blessing'.







I thought the layout was just the cutest! You have to make at least 3 changes in a case challenge, so here are mine:
- COLORS
- STAMPS
- RIBBON
I started with a white card stock base. I stamped my image twice on white cs with chocolate chip ink. I colored my little birthday mouse with Close to Cocoa ink and a blender pen. Using colored pencils, I added some pale peach to his hands, feet, tail and ears, and a little pink in his cute cheeks. The streamers were colored with Certainly Celery and So Saffron inks and a blender pen. Of course this happy celebration needed some sparkle, so I added Stickles to the streamers and I put a little 'twinkle' in his eyes! I cut out his body and adhered it to the colored stamped image with dimensionals. I matted the stamped panel with So Saffron cs and adhered that to Certainly Celery cs, added brown ribbon and attached this to the white cs base. I cut my dp to size, scalloped the edges with my corner rounder punch, and added 3 green brads to one piece. I attached the dp with dimensionals. Finally, I stamped the sentiment with Choc. Chip ink, once on So Saffron and once on Certainly Celery. I Punched the Saffron image with a scallop punch, and the center of the Celery image with a circle punch. I adhered the Celery to the scallop with dimensionals, and added some Stickles to the candle flames.

Well, that's all for now, I think I'll go play some more! I Hope your day ROCKS, and don't forget to smile a lot! :):)

FS76 Birdie Birthday

Happy Friday everyone!
I've been trying to catch up on my challenges and it seems like I never will! I tend to overwhelm myself when it comes to this kind of thing-- there are so many fabulously fun challenges out there, and I just want to do them all- I wish I had the time!! I have a couple to share with you now.
The first is 'Birdie Birthday'. This was the Featured Stamper Challenge on SCS for Sunday, July 20th.
SUSIESTAMPALOT has one gorgeous gallery, and I chose to case her 'Flutterby Just Because'--
I love the colors she used so I basically kept them the same. I changed the patterned paper and the stamps. I also used an oval shape for the focal panel, and I scalloped the pink CS strip.



The second challenge is yesterday's 'Ways To Use It Challenge'. We were supposed to use negative shapes and spaces. I used the negative space from an oval cut behind my sentiment. I also used Tuesday's Color Challenge for my colors-- very vanilla, soft sky and river rock. I love how soft and pretty these colors are together. The design for this card is from Julee's

Ya see what I mean? Too many fabulously fun challenges!!
Thanks for stopping by, and don't forget to smile lot! :):)

Ahhh, that's better!

Hi, and happy Saturday evening!
I had some really nice quiet time and was able to catch up on some challenges. I combined a few in one card. The 1st is Monday's technique challenge over at SCS,
The Grid Technique I used this on the base panel, though it's a little hard to see. Tuesday was the Color Combination, Almost Amethyst, Wild Wasabi, and So Saffron, and finally Wednesday's sketch at SCS



I also love Sharon's Stamp Simply Challenge on Fridays, which was Purple Flowers, it fit perfectly with what I was up to!
I did the grid technique on the wasabi base, then I matted the saffron panel with amethyst and adhered that to the base. I added a strip of amethyst with ribbon and stamped my bloomin' rose once on white CS, cutting the top of the rose out of the box, and twice on amethyst CS. I water colored the white rose with almost amethyst and certainly celery ink and a blender pen. I cut one of the amethyst flowers and layered that on the the already colored flower with dimensionals, then I cut just a section of the last rose and added that with dimensionals. I matted the white stamped panel with amethyst and adhered that to the card with dimensionals. I stamped my Lovely Labels sentiment on white CS with amethyst ink, punched it out with a circle punch and layered it on a black scallop punched circle. I added some gems and dressed up the scallop with a white gel pen.

Well I feel much better now that I got my challenge fix! Thanks so much for stopping by and keep smiling a lot! :):)

I know, I know--- it's been a while.....!

Hi guys!
Last week-end I took off with my best friends for retreat in Mystic. What a wonderful, fun and laugh filled time we had! When we get together- watch out!!... not a dry pair of pants to be found!! (Sad, but true)
Anyway, I haven't been able to take time for my challenge passion all week, so, here it is Saturday afternoon, my DH took our DS to the movies, and our DD is camping this week-end with her BFF and family, and I noticed that WOW-- I'm absolutely solo right now-- when does that ever happen??!! (Not very often) So I'm off to play!!


My dear friends Sharon, Anne, Lauri, Debi and JoAnne


Debi and Anne in the hot tub-- don't ask!


and here is me, Jo, Debi and Anne-- These are my 3 BFFs- I don't know what I'de do without them!!

Okay, just wanted to blog hello, and I'll be back later, hopefully, with some challenge catch-ups!!
Thanks for checking in with me, and don't forget to smile a lot!!

Off for the Week-end

Hi everyone! Hope you had a happy Thursday:) I am taking the week-end off from stamping and blogging to run away with my friends. This is a yearly tradition and a well needed rest from the real world. I am, however, a little worried about 'Challenge Withdrawal'. I've heard it can be brutal! Just keep me in your thoughts and send me some positive energy PLEASE!! Thanks guys :)
This is my card for yesterday's sketch challenge
at SCS. I combined it with the 1st EVER
color throwdown!

Recipe:
Stamps: a little birdie told me, it's beautiful (both Stampin' Up!)
Paper: white, black, pretty in pink, regal rose, sage shadow
Ink: black, pretty in pink, sage shadow, rose red
Extras: scallop punch, gems, ribbon, dimensionals, white gel pen

Thanks so much for stopping by, have a fantastic week-end, and don't forget to smile a lot:):):):)

Groovy Banana Chips

Happy Tuesday Everyone!
It was a long hot and humid day here in Connecticut. I took the kids to the town pool for the afternoon, then came home and cooked some burgers on the grill for dinner. Wow-- that was an exciting entry huh?
The REAL exciting part of the day was when the UPS guy delivered my new stampin' up order-- then I checked SCS to make some comments, did the color challenge, and here I am blogging away!
The SCS CC174 today is groovy guava, barely banana and chocolate chip. I'm not a big fan of guava and I never would have included it, but it never fails, any of the color combos that I think "NO WAY!"- always seem to somehow come together beautifully. That's the magic of SCS Challenges!!

Recipe: Paper- groovy guava, barely banana, choc. chip, white
Ink- Choc. chip, groovy guava, always artichoke, pumpkin pie
Stamps- bloomin' beautiful, baroque motifs-- Stampin' up!
Extras- ribbon, paper piercer, Stickles, dimensionals
For the flower I water colored it using the 'ink pad squish method' and a blender pen, and OF COURSE added some Stickles for sparkle.
The design for this card is the sketch from Julee Tilman's Monday Mojo Sketch
Well, I'm off to make some more comments on SCS, and then call it a night! I hope you all had one fantastic day today! Thanks so much for stopping by my blog!
KEEP SMILING :):)

Suspension Card

Happy Monday!!
Today's SCS 'try a new technique' challenge is a Suspension Card. I've never attempted such a card, and I almost chickened out, but I thought- "Why not?" Beate has a wonderfully simple tutorial on this technique here. There is a front and a back side to the suspended piece, so I posted two pics. I'd like to practice some more, but I think I'll enjoy making more of these. You use dental floss for the suspension and I only had Cinnamon- so mine is red.

Recipe: CS- wild wasabi, certainly celery, purely pomegranate, very vanilla
dp- pretty in pink
Stamps- Stampendous(balloons), Stampin' up!, think happy thoughts,
itty bitty backgrounds
Ink- choch chip
EXTRAS- gems, stickles, dental floss, ribbon, dimensionals

Thanks for stopping by and keep smiling a lot :):)

2 a.m. SCS Featured Stamper

That's right-- 2 a.m.! What do I do when I can't sleep? Why not a challenge over at SCS!! Sunday is the Featured Stamper Challenge, and this weeks FS is {Teneale} What a gallery! GORGEOUS stuff- ya gotta check it out! I chose her card Sweet Motifs--



SU's Baroque Motifs is one of my fave sets and I love what she did here.
I changed the card color, and the sentiment. I don't have pearl brads so I used gems instead, and I didn't use ribbon- I pierced the upper left corner of my card and added a small gem.
Okay-- my eyes are getting heavy, I should get some sleep so I have plenty of energy to 'Challenge' tomorrow!

SCS Inspiration Saturday

Happy 5th of July!
It's a day to relax. My DH took the kids to the movies today and I had some precious quite time. In between laundry and vacuuming I've been working on the SCS Inspiration Challenge. The big "I" for today is Mackintosh Enamels.



I really liked these switch plates for their great colors and design.
I found some OLD dp from Paper Pizazz that was absolutely perfect for this project! So I grabbed that, some chalks and SU's Garden Silhouettes and played! I also used the sketch from Our Creative Corner



If you haven't checked out this talented group of ladies yet, your missing out. Every week they have a new challenge to play-- and you know how I LOVE Challenges! But really, check them out it's a very cool site.
Okay,I guess I should put another load of laundry in, and probably cook dinner too-- certain people I know would really appreciate it if I did!
Thanks so much for stopping by, and don't forget to smile a lot today:):):):)

Obsession!!

Happy Wednesday!

Every morning the alarm wakes me up at 6 a.m. I hit the snooze button 2 times, then I get up, pour my coffee, and check out the daily challenge on Splitcoast Stampers. I link up, thank the host and check some Splitcoast replies on my e-mail. I see the amazing creations that have been made by so many talented people and I leave as many comments that I can before I have to hit the shower and get off to work. I then proceed to drift off, I don't know how many times durring the day, to what I can do with the challenge when I get home to my beloved stamping nook. Oh boy-- this is OBSESSION! But when I get home I have other responsibilities to tend to before I can sit down an play. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my family. I'm truly a very blessed person, I have so much to be grateful for- healthy children, a loving husband, family and dear friends--- the list goes on and on....

HOWEVER---- I am OBSESSED with Splitcoast challenges! They keep my mojo going, and save me from creator's block. Stamping and Scrapping give me just the outlet I need to stay sane in my sometimes very crazy, hectic, busy, messy-- but always blessed life!

And the challenge for today is.................... The Sketch Challenge!!! My FAVORITE :D

For # 183 I used the colors from yesterday's color challenge. I started with a purely pomegranate card base and pierced the corner. Panel #2 is white CS. Panel # 3 is BasicGrey DP matted with certainly celery. Panel # 4 is certainly celery sponged with chalks. I pierced the corner and stamped the sentiment. I added two Bloomin' roses embossed in white on wild wasabi CS. I water colored the flower with purely pomegranate ink, added Stickles for a little sparkle, then added
red knotted ribbon. Stamped 'Happy Birthday' sentiment, punched it out with a circle punch added some Stickles (of course), and adhered it to the card with a dimensional. I hope you like it as much as I enjoyed making it!

Thanks so much for stopping by, and keep smiling a lot:):):):)

CC173 Purely, Wild Celery

Happy Tuesday everyone!!

This has to be quick tonight--so many things to do, never enough time!!

Anyway, today's Splitcoast color challenge is purely pomegranate, wild wasabi and certainly celery. Beautiful colors to work with!!

I started with a white card and added a celery panel. I Stamped a pomegranate panel with the It's Beautiful stampin' around wheel, adhered that to a white mat and adhered that to the celery panel. I stamped Fun and Fast Notes twice, once on white cs, and once on wild wasabi dp. I paper pieced the cup onto the white image, water colored the flowers with purely pomegranate ink, added that and a dp strip to the card. I stamped Lovely Labels on white cs, punched it out with a scallop punch and pierced it. Finally, I added that and some green gems and stickles.

I hope you had a great day, and I hope you're still smiling a lot:):):):) Thanks for stopping by!!