Butterfly Meets Bella Rose

This card I made when I got to visit with my dear friend LaRee in Wichita Falls.  Yes, I'm a crazy stamper. I took a box of stamping stuff with me so that she and I could have a little fun.  We only got one card done, but it was nice and of course getting to spend time with her was the best part!

I didn't have my Stamp-a-Ma-Jig and almost had heart failure when I realized I didn't.  I had this card idea in my head and knew I needed the butterflies to be straight.  Well, I "eye-balled" it as best I could and I hope it looks okay!!!  I not only took a picture of the front of the card, but also the INSIDE that I did a little "decorating" in.  I think it's fun to open a card and find that the inside is pretty too :)

I would love to hear what you think - but this is a "scheduled" post so I apologize that I won't be replying back to your sweet comments.  This will be my last post until I get back from SU! Convention. This is a "scheduled" post too - so still no responses back from me on your comments, but I DO appreciate them!!! Remember to use the little "subscribe" widget in my sidebar so that you don't have to check in each day and you will get an e-mail when I post something new. I love that feature!! I hope to have TONS of stuff to share with you from Convention, and for my Go. Be Creative. DT work. Take care, and until then!!!

Stamps:  Dreams Du Jour (2008 Fall-Winter IB&C Preview set)
Paper:  Bella Rose DSP (2008 Fall-Winter IB&C Preview papers), Riding Hood Red, Kiwi Kiss and Whisper White CS
Ink:  Riding Hood Red (In Color)
Accessories:  Scallop Edge punch (2008 Fall-Winter IB&C item), paper piercing tool and template

Lavender Vanilla Sneak Peek

So, as you can read in THIS post, the August kit from Go. Be Creative. is coming soon, and it features some just DELIGHTFUL Crate papers and other items.  Above is the picture of the assortment of papers and other fun items.  Below is a picture of a sneak peek of one of the items that I made with my kit.  Any ideas as to what it is????  :)

FYI - This is a "scheduled" post.

Boot Loot Winner!!!!!

Drum roll please........

Cindy Vernon you are the winner of the Boot Loot!!!!! Random.org picked commenter # 11. Please e-mail me your snail mail address (see e-mail link in the sidebar) and it will be shipped to you when the August kits are sent out to customers from Go. Be Creative.  Congratulations Cindy and thanks so much everyone for playing!!!!  I will try this again next month and depending on participation levels, that may be the last month I do it, so be sure to tell your friends to come play next month!!!

Gotta go get my household goods delivered here at Dover, so I've got to run.  My arms are sore from painting all day yesterday - boy do I wish I was about 4-5" taller, it would make the world of a difference!!! ;)

Those Baroque Motifs Cards....

So, this is what all of those Baroque Motif cards were for.  You can see them in THIS post, and THIS post.  I made another Stationary Box and the recipient should have recieved it by now so I can share it with you.  I hope she likes it.  She told me that she likes the Bali Breeze DSP (I sure hope she did - 'cause this set is chock full of those colors!!!) so I designed everything with those colors in mind.  Below are some more pictures of the little cards I made for it, the address book, stamp holder, and pen.  Of course, I like RSVP pens, so I had to adhere my pen holder at a slant to get the pen to fit.  I got the directions from Jackie Topa's blog, here.

I hope you enjoy! 

More DRS Designs

This is a card that I made using some of my DRS Designs stamps.  The stamp used is the Circle Lily - you can see it in the DRS on-line catalog by clicking on it's name.

I stamped my image on vellum and colored it from behind w/ markers and mounted it on Whisper White CS.  The patterned paper is Pumpkin Pie Prints DSP (folded back on itself) from SU! along with the Whisper White and Night of Navy CS.  The brads are SU! Old Olive brads and the ink is StazOn.  The stamp is the same Just because...stamp that I used on my "bee card" previously, also from DRS designs.  This is a very simple card, but I really like it!

Thanks so much for checking in, and for any comments that you leave.  This is my first "scheduled post" as we drive from OK to Delaware so I won't be able to reply as usual to your kind comments. Thanks in advance for them!!!  Have a great day!

Some News and a "oops" card

So, this card didn't quite turn out how I had envisioned it.  I find that in the stamping world a lot of people mean a good thing when they say an "oops" this, or that.  Well, in my case I don't feel like it was....it's something to do with the background behind the fence. 

I spent A LONG time cutting that fence and the rest of the image out as meticulously as I could, and then I stuck it on what I envisioned in my head to be something that would resemble ground and sky (with some abstractness to the sky and ground, of course) and it just didn't look the way I wanted.  I think the image is still gorgeous, but the background could stand to be taken away :)  I hate it when you have a great idea in your head and you just can't get it on your card.  I also hate it when I use glue that makes it impossible to take your image back off and scrap what you don't like ;)  Oh well. 

The DRS Designs stamps that I used were "Flower Fence w/ Birdhouses" and the "Flower Power Easy Background".  The flower fence with birdhouses stamp is one of my favorite images from DRS designs.  It's just so sweet and could be used for so many different occasions!!!  The paper I used was Bashful Blue Prints DSP from the Hostess Level I paper pad (Spring-Summer IB&C), Whisper White and Mellow Moss CS.  I hope you like it!

Now for my news.  TODAY IS DANIEL's FIRST BIRTHDAY (there's more news, but first this!)!!!  I can't believe that the time has gone by so quickly.  So many of you sent cards and gifts when he was born and I just can't believe that that was a year ago today!!!!  You've seen a couple of pictures of him then, and below are a couple of him now.  He is such a wonderful baby boy and I am going to be so sad when he's not a baby anymore. He has been just what this mommy needed - a baby who loves his mommy.  He is cuddly and sweet and a little stinker that gives me a run for my money.  I wouldn't have it any other way.  I love him so much!!!

My other news is that we are moving TOMORROW so I hope to manage to schedule a few posts (hopefully at a rate of about every other day).  For those of you who leave comments, you won't be getting the regular reply from me, so sorry about that!  We'll be moving from Oklahoma to Delaware.  We won't have Internet until the 30th at our house - I might die - you'll have to check in and see if I come back "live" after the 30th or not ;)  The bad thing is that I will leave for the SU! Convention on the 29th (good for me, but bad for my husband!!) and my poor hubby will have to get the Internet set up while watching the kids- I'm the one that always sets up everything at the house - utilities, Internet, satellite, all that fun stuff.  He has never watched all three kids for more than a couple of hours without me.  So, actually, amend that "check in after the 30th" to "check in after the 4th of August when I get back from Convention and ask if my husband is still alive, much less all three kids, and if our house is still standing" - it will be a miracle!! I'll have some big reveals of Go. Be Creative. work that I will be submitting as a DT member then too, so stay tuned.

Here goes one of my plugs for subscribing...if you use my little Feedblitz subscribing tool in the sidebar, you won't have to "check back in" as Feedblitz will do it for you and will e-mail you my posts as they are posted.  So, take care, and wish me luck moving across the country with 3 kids, a cat, 2 cars, a trailer (on our minivan) and then a trip to Convention, all within a week and a half!!!  I think I'm crazy ;)

Take care, and THANK YOU for checking in on me!!!!

Do you want to win THIS??????

THIS POST WILL REMAIN AT THE TOP UNTIL THE COMPLETION OF THE BOOT LOOT CONTEST - BE SURE TO CHECK BELOW FOR NEW POSTS!!

I thought I should go ahead and hold my boot loot contest for the beginning of August since my own blog attendance is going to be sketchy over the next couple of weeks (and I will be at SU! Convention at the beginning of the month).  I am going to hold this contest from NOW THROUGH JULY 24th at 8:00 a.m. EASTERN time - that will be my time zone at that point.  At that time I will use random.org to generate a number to decide the winner.  Please, only one post per person.  Your kit will ship as soon as all of the kits are mailed for those that purchased them.

Here's what you win:

A description of the kit with a close-up below:

Features: Crate Paper "Sweet Branch"

~One sheet each of Flutter, Cherish, Blossom, Hope, Splendid, and Shine
~Sweet Branch Impression Die Cut
~Prima Letter Perfect Felt Alphabet in Brown
~Prima Urban Cosmos Clear Tape
~The Crafter's Workshop 6x6 Posie Doodling Template
~Creative Charms 3-D Blue Butterfly Brads
~Creative Charms 1-inch Sparkled Flowers
~Creative Charms 2-inch Purple Butterfly
~Fibers include White ric-rac and ruffled trim

So, what do you have to do to win the August GBC kit (above) you're asking?  Well, here's what I want you to do - either put a link to GBC in a post on your blog - explaining that all you had to do to enter my contest was to do so, or e-mail the link to a friend or friends.  You have to include me on the e-mail - you can "Bcc" everyone if you don't want to share their addresses with me, or vice versa - and my e-mail is in the sidebar or here:  mariemc01@gmail.com  That's all you have to do!  Leave a comment saying you're e-mailing me and your friend/s or leave the link to the specific post where you link to GBC.  The whole point of this is that I LOVE GBC and I hope to get the site's link spread around a little so that people can check it out and discover that it is such a great site.  This is a lot easier than my scavenger hunt last month, huh? :p 

GBC's kit club is awesome and even if you don't want to get the kits there's a Message Board at GBC that operates just like the forums over at SCS, for those of you familiar with that site.  You can get a username for free (I'm mariemc on there just like over at SCS) and join in the chit chat with some very fun ladies.  There is a gallery at GBC, and of course, the store.  The GBC store has bind-it-all accessories, all kinds of papers, embellishments and other scrapbooking/crafting supplies.  What's best about GBC is Lainey - the owner/operator/creator.  She is just too cool and I am so honored to be a part of her Design Team.  So, some GBC-promoting links is all I ask.  If you just want to e-mail it to one person, that's enough for me!  The more the merrier though :)  If you don't know what to say you can cut and past this(not sure if the link will transfer, so you will need to check that before you post/send!!!):

Marie is giving away a Lavender Vanilla Scrapbook Kit over on her blog and I want to win it.  All I had to do was post THIS link to Go. Be Creative. (http://www.go-be-creative.com) here and I am in the drawing for the kit.  Check out GBC if you have a minute!

You don't HAVE to use my text, but the link has got to be in there along with a link to my blog.  Shameless plugging, I know, but don't you want a GBC kit that's valued at over $30?!?!!?  I PROMISE you will love it!!!!  Have fun and good luck!!!

Quick "Happy" Notecards

I pulled out my new stamp set Happiness Always (Level III hostess set in the 2008 Fall-Winter IB&C) to whip out some quick notecards that I needed.  I also took an up-close shot.  While, unfortunately, you can see that I didn't use my Stamp-a-Ma-Jig like I usually do for 2-step stamping, you can see that these stamps are fairly forgiving and the point of the up-close shots is to show you that the over-lay stamp appears to be a jumble of letters.  If it's supposed to say something, or use certain letters or if there is any meaning behind the letters, I haven't found it yet.  Let me know if you have!!  Enjoy!!

Stamps:  Happiness Always
Paper:  Whisper White CS
Ink:  Baja Breeze and Kiwi Kiss (new SU! In Colors) and Basic Black

Lavender Vanilla

Sounds like a wonderfully scented candle, right?  Well, think of all of the beautifully scented flowers of the spring and summer, and the butterflies that flit from one blossom to the next.  August marks the ever closer end to summer and this kit from Go. Be Creative. will be sure to spark your creativity and inspire you to take advantage of every last warm minute that you have to build those memories that you will cherish and want to scrap to remember forever.  So, check out Go. Be Creative. and order your kit today!!!!!  The charms are just beautiful and the felt letters are so fun.  I've already made one project with my kit.  Stay tuned for a sneak peek and see the contents/close-up/description below.  :)

A description of the kit with a close-up below:

Features: Crate Paper Sweet Branch

~One sheet each of Flutter, Cherish, Blossom, Hope, Splendid, and Shine
~Sweet Branch Impression Die Cut
~Prima Letter Perfect Felt Alphabet in Brown
~Prima Urban Cosmos Clear Tape
~The Crafter's Workshop 6x6 Posie Doodling Template
~Creative Charms 3-D Blue Butterfly Brads
~Creative Charms 1-inch Sparkled Flowers
~Creative Charms 2-inch Purple Butterfly
~Fibers include White ric-rac and ruffled trim

 

Box in a Bag and a Card

So, I found this really easy tutorial for the "box in a bag" that appears to come from the original creator of said boxes in bags ;)  Her name is Diana and you can check out her tutorial here.  They're super easy to make - they just use lots of sticky tape so make sure you've got it!!!  I even added a strip of sticky tape to the bottom of my box on top of some of the GORGEOUS new Baja Breeze with some Dazzling Diamonds on top of that - so lots of sticky tape!! :)  Baja Breeze is a color EXTREMELY close to the accent color in my living room.  I love it added with a pop of a shade of orange - perhaps Really Rust in the case of SU!, and some brown (Chocolate Chip) and some beige (Kraft).  That makes for a GORGEOUS color combo.  I will have to try it out on a card soon!!!  Anyway, this little box in a bag was a "breeze" to make and I think it turned out cute.  It's simple style is totally my own - so for some of you it may be too simple.  :)  Anyway, I added some DD glitter to the wings of the butterflies which were stamped in Baja Breeze using Happiness Always - an upcoming Level III hostess set.  I used some jumbo Antique Brass eyelets on the tabs, added some White organdy ribbon (don't have any wide grosgrain that matched the paper as the directions called for) and called it done!!  I did use my new Scallop Edge punch for the scallops on the Kiwi Kiss layer.  I'm just loving Kiwi Kiss!!!!  The patterned paper is out of the Bella Rose DSP collection which will be in the new catty.  Anyway, I hope you enjoy!!!  No recipe for the box either since I think I mentioned everything above!! 

As for this lovely little bee card.  The bee and the "Just because..." that I Stamp-a-Ma-Jigged into "Just bee-cause..." are from DRS Designs.  You can click on "happy bee" or "just because" to see/purchase them.  I love making pocket cards and haven't done so in a LONG time.  I also wanted to do some sewing with my recently purchased Janome Sew Mini (love this thing!!!).  So, this is what I came up with.  The patterned paper wraps around the back and the stitching also (obviously) shows all the way around the back.  It was a little tricky to sew and not sew over the black textured CS flap that I didn't want to have sewing on it, but I think I hid it well from the back and you would never guess that the flap isn't a separate piece of CS glued on.  It IS a flap, so I to stop sewing and re-start and hide that I did.  Anyway, as soon as I saw the "Just because" sentiment I knew that I wanted to alter it to fit the little be.  Isn't he cute?!?!  Some added stickles and some outlining with my fun Tombow gray marker along with coloring the bee in with my SU! markers and he was finished!  I just added some stitching to represent his flight path, he he, and some black ric-rac from Go. Be Creative. and this little card was done!  Sorry, I'm being lazy - no recipe.  The patterned paper came from a black and white stack I bought at JoAnn's a LONG time ago.  The scalloped piece is pierced with a piercing tool and then the holes are outlined with a white gel pen.

Take care, happy stampin', and I always appreciate your comments!!!

Kitchen Sink Fun with FTL5

I saw this layout over at clean & simple that Natasha Trupp shared with us and knew that I wanted to use my Playful Stars stamp set that I won from Kitchen Sink Stamps with it.  I also really wanted it to be a square card.  I didn't intend for the stars to extend off of the card, but oh well - I think it looks cute even though it won't fit in an envelope!!!  I just love this color combo of Kiwi Kiss and Baja Breeze (new In Colors from SU!). I used some of my Dew Drops in the "Water" color assortment.  I used my word window punch to punch out my sentiment from Verve Visual's stamp set "Great Expectations".  The base of the card IS textured CS if you were wondering.  What do you think?!?!

Pink Pirouette Mojo Sketch

I love Julee's Mojo Monday sketches.  You can check them out on her blog Poetic Artistry.  I don't know how I feel about this card though and I posted it "late" purposely to not be included in her fun contest (she gave out some free Verve Visual stamps!!) because the stitching is a little distracting.  I really like stitching and I find that I go a little crazy when I do it.  I need to learn some moderation I think.  Plus, the needle leaves such big holes that I feel like I notice them more than the stitching.  Should I get thicker thread to hide the holes?  Any help out there?  Specifically, I use a Janome Sew Mini and maybe it has a smaller needle I can buy?  Anyway, hope you like the card - I'm not sure yet about it. 

I used my Wild Things stamp set from gel-à-tins for the flower.  I sponged the edges of that paper with my Pink Pirouette In Color Classic Ink, and then adhered it to some Pink Pirouette CS.  The little pearls are actually pearl dew drops from Ellen Hutson, LLC  and you'll find them in her store's sidebar in the "dew drop" section.  The sentiment is from the Hostess Level III stamp set in the upcoming SU! IB&C and is called Happiness Always.  I'm enjoying this set.  The paper is the Bella Rose DSP that I used on my card posted on Friday, and is found in the same/a similar pattern but in Kiwi Kiss and Riding Hood Red in the paper pack.  It's GORGEOUS paper!!!!  I may be wrong, but if I were the betting kind, I would venture to guess that there's going to be a stamp set to coordinate with the roses on the papers.  Maybe not, but I can't imagine having images that don't really go with any of the current flower sets - especially when they're that gorgeous. 

Anyway, I used my Scallop Edge punch to make the scallops on the patterned paper.  I distressed the top edge of the Pink Pirouette layered on the DSP and did some paper piercing and then lined either side of the holes with some stitching.  I then did some zig-zag sewing along the edges of the focal image to adhere it to my card.  Please excuse the stitching there - I'm still on a learning curve for getting the stitches exactly where I want.  ;)  Next, I made the inside pretty too by adding a piece of the Bella Rose DSP.  You can see it in the picture to the left.  I hope you like it!! I just LOVE the Bella Rose papers and ALL of the new In Colors!!!!!

Dreams Du Jour and a little DRS Designs

EEK!!!  This is the 2nd time I'm re-typing this post.  That's the ONLY thing I don't like about TypePad - it doesn't auto-save for you and we have a REALLY bad Internet connection here in OK (thank goodness I leave in 2 weeks!!) and I lose my data ALL THE TIME because if it happens while you're trying to post/save then it just clears all of the fields because it has nothing to revert to.  Stinks.

Anyway, to the right is the lovely SU! Scallop Edge punch. I LOVE IT.  I haven't figured out how to make squares/rectangles to specific sizes (I like the corner to be neat, not scallops punched over each other creating wonky shapes) but I'm sure someone will post directions so that I can see it done.  The punch is not meant for that though - it's meant to punch along an edge and create scallops, thus the name Scallop Edge punch.  Duh.  Here I am already trying to get it to do other things.  It was frustrating trying to create even edged squares/rectangles so I gave up and made this fun little "frame" that you see in the card below.  I wish I had made the WW CS layer mounted on top of the Riding Hood Red frame a little smaller to show more of the "frame" directly behind the popped up image.  Oh well.  The card is a little "heavy" for my tastes - not my style - but I was just playing around with about 15 min of time I got to stamp while the hubby occupied the kids.  Maybe I'll get some SERIOUS stamping time -  I hope so - to sit down with my new In Colors and other items that I ordered.  Several of my new items are featured on this card.  Now I'll tell you what they are.

The CS base is Pink Pirouette - one of the new In Colors.  The stamp set is Dreams Du Jour along with the sentiment (stamped in Riding Hood Red) being from a Level III hostess set that will be in the new Idea Book & Catalog.  The hostess set is called Happiness Always.  I also stamped my image from Dreams Du Jour in Riding Hood Red and used my blender pen to fill in the leaves with Kiwi Kiss (also a new In Color) and the flowers and bud with Pink Pirouette.  I layered my image and my "frame" on top of some DSP called Bella Rose that is going to be in the new IB&C.  I really really really like it!!!!  If you'll look for the little peek of the inside of the card in the photo, you'll notice that I put a strip of Scallop Edge punched DSP in there too to dress it up a tiny bit.  Oh, and see those yummy Riding Hood Red buttons??!?!  They come from what will be called a Button Bouquet in the new IB&C which is an assortment of buttons - some of which have flowers on them hence the name Button Bouquet - and they are just too fun!!!

That's about it with this card.  I'll leave out the recipe since I typed it all above.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear how much you love the new In Colors!!! :)

Now, for my DRS Designs card.  I just love this image - it makes me think of a nice, relaxing vacation.  I paired it with what is probably intended to be used as a Christmas greeting (Warmest Wishes) to make the recipient think of the same tranquil beach that I pictured in my mind.  It's a simple card, but I love the little touches of glitter and the image is just too cute and fun to color.  If you like the image, you can click on Postcard Beach Scene to see it and order it.  Definitely keep your eyes peeled for some other DRS Designs cards I have coming in future posts!!

On this card I colored with markers on watercolor paper (outlined inside the images) and then used my Aqua Painter to blend the image.  I added some Stickles for some sparkle, some wide black organdy ribbon from Go. Be Creative. and that's about it!

Baroque Thanks

So, I've been working on some more projects that will coordinate with the Bali Breeze DSP.  Eventually I will reveal to you just why these projects have to coordinate with the Bali Breeze DSP, but I don't want to ruin the surprise yet.  Tomorrow's sample will be using my NEW pre-order items that I got yesterday - I LOVE the new In Colors for 2008-2009!!!!

For this card, I took these colors from the Bali Breeze DSP collection: Taken with Teal, Rose Red and Pumpkin Pie.  I decided to do one of my new favorite techniques as the focal point.  I love to have a stamped image covered in Crystal Effects and then while it's still wet, sprinkle Dazzling Diamonds glitter on it.  Remember THIS card?  It's on of my favorite cards, and you will soon see a color variation of it - you'd better, because I HAVE to get it done because it's my WOW swap card for a group of friends at the SU! Convention at the end of July!!!!  I only have to make 35 or so of them - FULL cards - that's all....  ;)

I am SO glad that Baroque Motifs isn't retiring.  I have had this set since July of last year and only used it to make table-topper numbers for my sister's wedding reception.  You can see them here.  I am enjoying this set a lot, especially all the different ways you can layer the pieces to make a medallion.  It's a very elegant set, but if you use bright colors it can be a little more relaxed - as you can see with these past few cards I have made.

Anyway, I would love to hear what you think about it.  It was a fun card to make - LOTS of masking around that medallion.  There is a stamped envelope sitting underneath it the card.

I hope you have a great day!

Stamps:  Baroque Motifs
Paper:  Taken with Teal, Pumpkin Pie and Whisper White CS
Ink:  Pumpkin Pie, Rose Red and Taken with Teal Classic Ink
Accessories:  Fire circle rhinestone brads, paper piercing tool and template (from Ellen Hutson's store), Crystal Effects, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, Photo Corners punch, silver brads, post-it note for masking, dimensionals

3 x 3's in Baroque

So, these little babies are a part of a set I made.  They're sitting on top of their envelopes that I stamped a little bit on.  I am making them to go with the Bali Breeze DSP, so that's where the color choices came from.  I hope you like them!!!

Stamps:  Baroque Motifs, All Holidays
Paper:  Rose Red, Taken with Teal and Whisper White CS
Ink:  Rose Red and Pumpkin Pie Classic Ink
Accessories:  Fire circle rhinestone brad, paper piercing tool and template (from Ellen Hutson's store)

Still a few left...

There are still a few Coconut Mango kits left over at Go. Be Creative. and if check out this link, you can see some of the GORGEOUS projects made with the kit. Just click on the thumbnails to view them at their full and gorgeous size. There's a flower-button boquet, a 6 x 6 acrylic album, lots of 12 x 12 LO's, a Stationary Box, and much more!!! Have a great day!

RAK's are so fun!!! :)

So I felt super special when I came home from my holiday trip that went bad.  It's not often that I get RAKs and these two are so pretty.  The first one is from Annette.  She even included some ribbon inside.  What a sweetie!!!

This 2nd card is from Clara who won my boot loot about 2 Boot Loot's ago and this card was made using some of the papers and chipboard that she received.  Isn't it adorable!!!

Thanks ladies!!!

PS - I've been doing a whole lot of stamping that I can't show you yet.  BUT, I will be getting my SU! preview order items on the 10th so as soon as those babies get into my hand you will get to see some  of the items I make with them.  I CAN NOT wait to get the scalloped border punch!!!!!!!

July 2008 Challenge at Go. Be Creative.

This month's challenge over at GBC is a great one!  Each month, those who buy the kit get the chance to participate in a fun challenge and the chance to win $25 for purchasing whatever you want at the GBC store!  This challenge is only open, as I said, to those who are monthly kit club members so if you like what you see from me using GBC items, be sure to buy the kit and even better sign up to get future ones!!  The price decreases per kit the more months you sign up to buy.  Also, you can skip months if you already have the products in it, or for other reasons, you are just obligated to buy the number that you specified - not necessarily in consecutive months.

So, the challenge was to "Sand it, Tear it, and Antique it" because in this kit were some yummy Core'Dinations Card Stock colors that look really great when you do this to them.  So, I made this card with a future challenge of my own that I will be posting at GBC in mind - stay tuned for that - it's a challenge that's open to EVERYONE who has a username (free) at GBC, not just kit club members.

Hope you like the card, and everything but the brad is part of the July Coconut Mango kit.  I even used some of the clear transparency that was in the kit - too fun!!!

Little Diva 12 x 12 LO

Here's one of the LO's I made for my DT work for Go. Be Creative. using this month's Coconut Mango kit.  I did something fun though, that I don't think anyone else thought of.  At the bottom of one the GORGEOUS artsy.licious chocolate chipboard sticker letters in the package (there are 2, one is uppercase letters and the other is lowercase) there is this black and white scalloped border with scrolling designs on it.  Well, I cut them off cause who would want to waste the perfect border sticker?!?!  So, on the edge of each of the pictures is a piece of this scalloped edge.  I had three because as I mentioned in a previous post, I bought THREE sets of these chipboard letters 'cause they are so yummy!  Anyway, I used my new Janome Sew Mini to do some  zig-zag stitching around the pictures and I also used some of the soft, velvety flowers included in the kit.  I have a simple style and so I feel like I went a little overboard with the stitching, but I was having so much fun! :)  What do you think?

I hope you have a great rest of your weekend.  We'll see you back here on Monday!

PS - Yet again - more of my awful handwriting is featured.  Next time (with next month's kit and my DT work) I will be whipping out my stamps.  I guess we're allowed to use little extras like that. I was trying to NOT use anything that wasn't in the kit.  My artwork suffered for it - because of my hand-writing, that is!

Stationary Box Gift Tag Cards

Happy 4th of July!!!  I hope today is spent among family and friends and that you can take a few minutes to find some way to thank our men and women in uniform for the ability we have to have this holiday.  I think sometimes we take all of the freedoms we enjoy in this country for granted.  Did you know that in North Korea if you play music that doesn't support communism you can go to jail and at the very least have to write the government an apology letter?  That's just something I saw on t.v. when they were featuring the orchestra going there from the US to play in a concert - the first of it's kind in that country. 

Today's post is short.  These are the 4 gift tag "cards" that I made for my stationary box that you can see in this post.  They were super easy to make, and I think with the button and that gorgeous brown satin ribbon they're adorable.  As has been with the last few posts, all items used to make this are from the Go. Be Creative. Coconut Mango July kit.  You can click on that link to see the items used.

I'm excited to see some fireworks tonight - we're in Arizona (I forgot to tell you we went on a trip on the 2nd and will get back home on the 6th) visiting family one last time before our move to Delaware.  I hope you have some spectacular fireworks to watch tonight too!!  I think I like them more than my kids ;)

Stationary Box 3x3 cards

The stationary box that I posted a couple of days ago had lots of cards in it.  There were two of each of these little 3x3's inside.  I loved how quick and easy they came together and I think that they're super cute.  What do you think?!?  All supplies used on the cards were in the July Coconut Mango kit from GBC.  Get yourself one of these kits today before they run out!!!  

I really enjoyed the chocolate letters made by artsy.licious.  So much so that I bout 3 sets of them and they include several letters each of upper AND lowercase letters!!!!  Again, the cursive writing on the card is my poor penmanship.  I was trying not to use anything that wasn't in the kit.  I think next time I'll have to pull out some stamps - my handwriting is atrocious - especially on the scrapbook pages I made!!  I would love to hear what you're thinking of this kit and these cards.  That's what my blog is for ;)

PS - the scrolling shapes on the letters are actually gold - the camera/lighting don't show it well. 

I WON!!!

Well, I don't know if there were any more entries in my category than the card I submitted, but I'm still happy - so don't tell me if there weren't, I would rather be oblivious :)
Anyway, I submitted the card in THIS post for "A Way With Words - Thinking Outside the Box". I felt pretty clever because I used THREE stamp sets to create the sentiment and I don't think it's obvious that that's what I did they join together so well. That's the beauty of KSS's clear stamps!! You can check out the other winners of the contest here. You should check out their next contest when it is posted here and play along yourself.
What did I win you might be wondering? A free $15 stamp set!! I couldn't make up my mind so I bought one and then picked my other one as my prize ;)
Anyway, gotta run but thought I would announce my fun news!!!

Stationary Box Cards (A-2 Size)

Well, as you saw in yesterday's post, I made a Stationary Box and inside of it were 12 different sized cards/tags.  Here are the A-2 sized cards that I made.  I made 2 of each card.  I hope you like them, and all supplies were in the GBC Coconut Mango July kit.  You can get it here.

For this card I left off any sentiments so that I could basically have a blank card good for whatever the recipient of my Stationary Box might want/need to use it for.  I even took a close-up pic of the paper piercing and the adorable crocheted flower (they come in the kit!!).  It's a simple card, but simple is something I prefer most of the time :)  I can't tell you how sweet the little crocheted flowers are.  I love them!!  I also love paper piercing so you'll see a lot of that from me here on this blog - if you haven't seen enough of it from me already! ;)

For this card I hand-wrote the word "thanks" so sorry if it's not that pretty.  I LOVE the velvety flowers that are included in this kit!!  I wanted to just put them all over the card but settled with just putting three on the card.  I have a close up for you too, so  that you can see the great texture of the flower.  They are soft and so pretty!  And, of course...there's paper piercing! :)  I did sand this Core'Dinations Orange CS - can you tell?  It's kind of hard to see.  They have so many colors and the Coconut Mango kit has FOUR of them!  What's so great about Core'Dinations CS?  Well, it doesn't have a white core, it has a colored core that's a lighter shade of the outside for some really pretty monochromatic/tone-on-tone colors.  It also really makes the texture pop without being so bright (white) that you can't see it as well.   

I would love to hear what you think!!!