Happy Mother's Day!

I hope all of you - moms or not - are having a great day today! My baby is still hanging out so I'm not technically a mom yet. I am, however, having a little giveaway!  Leave a comment guessing when you think my son will make his big debut. My friend Jennifer at For the Luv of Paper recently started selling F.R.E.D. tables again, and I'm giving one to whoever comes closest to my son's birthday! (Go check it out; you want one. I barely scrap, but I find it quite handy for keeping up with pieces of my projects and rearranging until I have a design I want.) And just so you're not totally off with the guesses, I'm due in two weeks... 😘

**If you're outside the US and want to play along, please note that I'll have to send you something else. The shipping would be a little ridiculous since the F.R.E.D. has a nice weight on the base.

I See Spots at Guylou's Inimitability

Thank you, G, for helping me knock down my paper stash a little! Guylou decided that our first challenge of the year at Guylou's Inimitability was going to be I See Dots. Well, I pulled out some of the sheets from Basic Grey's Olivia pad and colored up this super cute new image Matilda and made it work! (Guylou used this image too, and her card is SO cute!!)

If you'd like to play along, you have until 10 pm EST on January 31 to get your project linked up. AND... G is giving away her new house stamp until tomorrow (1/20) night. Stop by the blog to find out how to get it!

Oh Dad!

First, I just want to remind you that the party is still rocking at The Outlawz! If you haven't made it over yet to enter one of the challenges or to pick up the exclusive, FREE digi from MayzyArt, what are you waiting for?? All of the party games, challenges, and our awesome digi are in the same place - hover over 2000 Member Party to get started! **UPDATE: WE JUST EXTENDED THE PARTY!! With vacations and getting out of school, we figured some of you could use some extra time to party! We will start regular challenges next week, but the party will still be rolling until July 7.

AND, if you didn't get the email, did you see that Blitsy has Distress Markers? I checked my favorite online store, and I have to say that Blitsy has the price beat! Every order I've made from Blitsy came quickly so I feel like I can recommend them with confidence...

Okay, on to cards! My father asked me a couple of weeks ago to make some cards for 2 of my aunts and my uncle. I asked him about the style of card he wanted. "Old people!" he responded. I even tried making a sweet card for one of my aunts, and he was like, "Uh-uh! I don't want that girl! Unless you have a saying like, 'I know you can't remember being this young'!" :D That guy... Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of the first one as I was rushing so he could come get it and mail it in time to get to his sister for her birthday.  The other two are below...

Image from Bugaboo Stamps/ Toatally Stampalicious

**Challenges: Tammy's Scrapin Corner - Anything Goes, Celebrate the Occassion - Birthdays

Image from Just Inklined

**Challenges: Paper Makeup Stamps - Anything Goes, Tuesday Throwdown - Gingham

A Fairy & Some Pensive Girls

Today is a new release day at Little Miss Muffet Stamps! Today you can get your hands on Cadrian, a gorgeous fairy, and a group of young ladies who all seem to be figuring out all of life's mysteries - or maybe they just miss someone.  My card features one of those girlies; her name is Gloria. You know, I don't think I know a single young person with that name...

Before I send you running over to the LMMS blog, I have some exciting news! You may have heard that Pollycraft is closing down, but the good news is Pollycraft isn't disappearing!! Paula and Barbara have teamed up, and some of your favorite characters will be appearing at Little Miss Muffet Stamps!  There are even 2 NEW images in the store today - Swings 'n Slides Butterflies and Luna Bitterfrost Birthdays Rock!!  Now that rocks! Tomorrow the team will have lots of Pollycraft inspiration that you won't want to miss! Someone is going to be really happy to have the News Badge on his/her blog!

*Special Offer*

Barbara will be out of town for the weekend but she has a special release offer - place any order between now and Sunday and receive a random digi for free!  Don't worry - she'll make sure it's a Little Misses digi that you don't already have.  :D  This offer will last until Sunday, June 10, at midnight Central US Time.  All orders will be fulfilled the next day and your fun can begin! Now go on over to the blog and check out the amazing creations from the rest of the team. Then, pick up your favoriteS, including the new Park Glen Door Die!

**Challenges: Try it on Tuesday - Anything Goes, Oldie But a Goodie - Anything Goes (I've had that BasicGrey paper for a really long time...), Digital Tuesday Challenge - Anything Goes

What Had Happened Was...

So, I started today off with a mini shopping trip at Blitsy. I was so excited to have some credits; all I had to pay was shipping! I got a couple of things for me and knocked a Mother's Day present out . This week they have some good stuff, including the mini Xyron machines; I was just telling my bf's mom a few weekends ago that she needs to get one since she just started using her Cricut. We worked together to make her husband a bday card, and she was disturbed that she had to glue all the letters and the shadows that she picked. Can you believe it was my first time using any electronic cutter?

Anyway, I'm WAAAY behind on cards. I was too tired last night and had errands to do today. I tried taking a nap before errand mission number two, but it was interrupted by a phone call. Had I been able to finish, I could have stayed up a little later to work on my late cards. Gotta work so I have to sleep!

So you can do better than I did, the two things I'm working on are:

A card for the April Showers challenge at Little Miss Muffet. I had a plan for the card but was so sleepy last night that I couldn't even remember what it was until after I woke up in the middle of the night.

Gina's Sealpoint Siamese kitties

And a card for the Crazy Cat Lady Challenge at Guylou's Inimitability. This is a color challenge based on Gina's Siamese cats - brown, cream/off white, and light blue. I have cat issues and have never been a Siamese fan after watching Lady and the Tramp as a kid. I know, singing cats are make believe, but still...  Check the blog because Guylou is giving her Cat on a Fence digi free for 24 hours on April 20. The code for the freebie is in the challenge text.

I have my stuff almost completely colored and will be working on my cards as soon as I get in from work tomorrow afternoon. Go enter the challenges and get the free digi! Hope you all have a wonderful day!

I'm Out!

That's right. I'm out of ideas for a blog post title! Sometimes it's easy, but I don't want to just say what the card is for every time. I feel like you all like to visit more when you don't know what you're going to get once you get here, ya know?

Anyway, here is today's card for the Sketch Challenge at The Outlawz:

I recently saw on someone's blog how to make a shamrock out of heart punches. I should have inked the edges so they'd stand out a little more...

That cute face is St. Patty from MayzyArt. Here's a heads-up; she's only $1.50 until March 17! Plus, May will send you an exclusive, FREE stamp with your purchase! (The freebie changes monthly.) I just found this shop yesterday after watching one of Lisa Sumpter's videos on YouTube, and there are already more stamps for sale! I like them because, well, they're super cute and they work no matter what color you decide to make them. (That's important to me as my family and friends go from one end of the spectrum to the other and I need my stamping money's worth...) Okay, enough selling!

Here's this week's sketch:

Remember, this month the Sketch Challenge is being sponsored by both Guylou's Inimitability AND Paper Temptress! Plus, The Outlawz has site-wide prizes from Oozak, Gilli Stamps, Paper Temptress (yep, again!), and Color Me Creative Classroom! I hope you'll join us!

Challenges: Use it Tuesday - Go Green (old paper, sentiment stickers that have only made it out of the sticker binder once before - at Halloween!, gems from a Studio G stamp set that's never been used, and a stamp I got from eBay about this time last year...),  Ladybug Crafts Ink - Anything Goes, Kaboodle Doodles - Show Us Some Green, MyGrafico - St. Patrick's Day, Simon Says Stamp and Show - Anything Goes

Breast Cancer Awareness (and a Goodie) at Guylou's Inimitability!

You probably already know that I am seriously silly. I am loving all the quirky BCA cards everyone is making - Kitties for Titties, Save the Hooters,  and this cute card by Cely! But since not every situation calls for silly, I made this card using a beautiful new stamp by Guylou and a sentiment from TLC for the new challenge at GI:

Guylou designed this new image in honor of the Breast Cancer Awareness program and for reaching over 250 followers on the Guylou's Inimitability blog. Gabrielle and ribbon is available for FREE between October 7th and 14th at Guylou's Online Store. Please use the code BCA-GABRIELLE at check out to get it FREE!!

If you decide to participate in the challenge (mostly pink  + pink ribbon), Guylou is offering a $5.00 gift certificate from her online store to the randomly-chosen winner. You can enter only one project, but if you use a Guylou's Inimitability digistamp, your project will count for two entries. If you don't have one of her digi stamps and/or your budget is tight; please check her online store where several freebies are available or you can use the digistamp offered above!  You have until 10 p.m. EST on Oct. 20 to enter your projects on the GI blog!

Challenges: Prairie Fairy Fridays - Girly, Jellypark Challenges - Pink & a Ribbon for BCA, Crafts and Me - Use a Digi, Digistamps 4 Joy - Think Pink, Inky Impressions - Breast Cancer Awareness/Monochromatic, Link Up for Pink!!

Guess What I Got?

Colleen, an amazing colorer/card-maker I met last year and fearless leader of The Outlawz challenge site, sent me a goodie bag! I think she sent it because she loves me so much, but I'm telling myself it is an early birthday present! Look at all the gorgeous ribbon she sent me!

Thanks so much, Colleen!

And the Winner is...

Sara I!!!

Yay Sara! Sara said she'd definitely rather be traveling (w/o her lovely children, mind you)...  :D   (Sorry Gina! Happy birthday anyway!) I'm running behind because I was doing my grandmother's hair; I'll be right back to show/tell you what Sara will be getting!
 

Ok! Here we go... 

 
Making Memories - Travel: 8x8 paper pad, rub-ons, and page pebbles, plus some Mini Shimmer Alphas, Basic Grey clear birthday stamps and layered stickers, K&Co Lotus Greeting Stamps, Hero Arts tags rubber stamps, and some flowers from I Am Roses. I had another paper pad and embellishments ready if "Chillin'" had been the winner's choice. Stay tuned; you never know when that will be up for grabs!  :)

Sara, you know about a million ways to reach me to give me your address so I'm not even putting my email addy on here...

A Gift for You...

Well, one of you anyway. I finally picked a few things to give to one of my followers. I'm not going to show you what's included; it's a surprise! But I'll give you a little hint (not that it will help). There are things from K&Co, Hero Arts, Basic Grey, Making Memories, and I Am Roses. It's not a whole heaping pile of stuff, but who complains about free stuff?? (If you do, well, your mom should have taught you better. Don't bring your nonsense to my little giveaway...)  If you follow my blog and would like a shot at some free goodies, please put your name in the linky list below then leave me a comment telling me if you'd rather be traveling or chillin'.... I'll pick a winner next Monday, March 14, at noon EST. Good luck!

CDAC Heart Hop!

So, this morning I completed the Heart Hop over on Crafter's Digital Art Center (CDAC). CDAC is a great place to be a member if you like using digi stamps. You'll get to see some designers you may have never heard of (plus well-known folks too), and there are always challenges and free digis somewhere on the site. You know I really like that free part, right? :D  Anyway, the hop wasn't super long, and at the end there was a gang of free stamps from all of the artists who participated! There were also coupons and extra drawings along the way... If you want to join in, the hop is going until 9pm PST on Jan 30.

Here's a card I made with the Heart Hop freebie from Guylou's Inimitability...

You can't really tell from my pic, but the heart is 3D. I printed it 3 times and cut out the pieces. My technique could use a little work still... I made the background in MS Word using Pea Devon font from KevinandAmanda.com then I traced over the hearts with a silver gel pen. The paper in the back is from a scrapbook page kit from Me & My Big Ideas.

Okay, I kept it short so you could go get yourself some free stuff!

Turn that Smile Upside Down... Smile Challenge at Guylou's Inimitability!

I'm one of those people who is really silly and loves to laugh BUT walks around with a mean mug. It's not usually on purpose. Sometimes I'm busy trying to remember what I'm supposed to be doing; other times I might be singing a song or replaying a conversation in my head. Whatever the case, random folks like telling me to smile...

Anyway... The new challenge at Guylou's Inimitability is "Smile" themed! To participate, you can make any kind of card you'd like (bday, thinking of you, get well, friend, you get the point) using GI's Smile Bingo Card below and another digi stamp. If you want to be in the running for a FREE GI digi and a guest design team member spot (which will score you another digi), your second stamp needs to be from Guylou's. If you don't have any, you can purchase one/some from the GI store, OR you can sign up to follow the GI blog or join our group on CDAC and get a FREE digi stamp.  The challenge is open until 10 pm (EST) on January 6.

Here's my card for the challenge; my second stamp is Bernadette.

If any of you are in good with Santa, please ask him to drop me off some more DeLovely paper from Cosmo Cricket. I love that pack! If you care to know, Bernadette was colored with Copics, her dress is paper pieced, the butterfly punch is MS, the smiley face heart stamp is from American Girl, the pearls are Recollections, font from kevinandamanda.com, and the bingo card was colorized using The Gimp!

Okay, you made it! Here's the Smile Bingo Card:

To save the image on your computer, right click on the image and select "Save LINK  as..." so you get the large version.

Make sure you enter your project by 10 pm on Jan 6, 2011, at Guylou's Inimitability!

I can't wait to see what you make; I know it will make me smile! :D

Challenges: Creative Card Crew - Anything Goes, OSAAT - Anything Goes, AI Factory - #61 Anything Goes

Is it really almost Christmas?

First things first, I am really diggin' those weird Christmas songs that Target has on their commercials this year! I am seriously debating whether I'm going to the site to download the songs... Also, I want to say Thanks!! to my buddy Claire for giving me a Stylish Blogger Award. I just realized she gave it to me the other day!

So, I know I shouldn't post this card online until late next year. If you know why, just hush if you know the person I'm sending it to. If she happens to post it online or you know her personally, just act like you've never seen it before. If you don't know what I'm talking about, stick around until next October and all will be revealed...  :)

Anyway, I made this card with last week's Monday freebie from Marker Guru/Gurukity. She's been really sweet about giving cute digis on Mondays. The one this week is TOO adorable; you should go pick it up now then check out the goodies in the store...  Also, if you're into Copic coloring, she has some really neat tutorials including one on coloring darker skin tones. Trust me, it's way more than your usual E11/13/15 tutorial... I CASEd the card on the Repeat Impression's blog to come up with this little guy.  That paper is from DCWV, and the coloring is a mix of Copics, colored pencils, and pastels. Oh hey, I finally picked up some Stickles! (I used my coupon at Michael's...)

Challenges: Repeat Impressions - CASE #D8,  Stamp Something - Anything Goes (digi), 2 Sisters Challenge - Twas the Night Before Christmas (...not a creature was stirring...), Digis with Attitude! - Anything Goes (digi)

Scraps of Color

Well, I did make it out this morning. My mother, cousin & I rolled out and were surprised that there weren't big crowds at any of the stores we went to. I got a new all-in-one printer, but I have to check it out online before I take it out of the box... You know!

And now here's a little something for you!

Get your FREE subscription to Scraps of Color Scrapbook Magazine today!  All you need to do is visit their site at http://www.scrapsofcolor.com and sign up!  That's it, no strings attached!  They have a SUPER Creative Team ready to thrill and delight you throughout 2011!  First issue arrives February 2011!

How cool is that!  I'm already signed up!

Stay tuned for their page call announcement and a wonderful December filled with ideas and inspiration by the fabulous SOC Girls and a super BIG BLOG GIVEAWAY!  Don't miss a minute of the scrappy inspiration!

16 minutes...

According to the linky thing, that's how long I have to edit this card and get it submitted to the first Anita Be Stampin Challenge. The image is a free digi named Missy; she's available to members of the ABS group on PCP. I colored her with Copics and used some pastels to smear some color in the background. The sentiment is from Hero Arts. I'm going to finish editing in Picnik and pray that the colors look right. (Monitor issues...)

I got it in with a few minutes (seven) to spare... This was a sketch challenge, and hopefully, no one will mention that I skipped the ribbon and bow and used a flower instead. Y'all know I just started making cards in the summer and don't have that many supplies. I do what I can...

Candy Alert!

If you're like me, you see most blogs via Reader. I have subscribed to what seems like a million blogs, but I actually want to read and see what these folks have going on. If you visit my blog like that, I want to take a sec to let you know about two candies in my sidebar...

First, Dawn from Dawn's Craft Place has some serious progressive candy she's giving away. She's adding a prize for every 50 new followers she gets. The very first prize she's giving away... a netbook! You have until Nov 25 to enter... She had a mini giveaway last weekend to make sure people who signed up for the giveaway have read and followed the directions. I entered that too and won a shirt! It came in the mail today. Thanks Dawn!!

The second candy I want to tell you about is at Wee Memories. They're giving two prizes full of great stuff. You have until Nov 30 to enter. So far, the stats are still good for winning. Today there are less than 70 entrants... Get on over there!

I'm Sorry!

I forgot to put in my post yesterday that if you join the A Day for Daisies group on CDAC or SSC, you will get a free digi. If you sign up to get the newsletter, you can pick your own freebie. Plus, there's a freebie for the current challenge on the ADFD blog!

Also, if you become a follower of the blog for Guylou's Inimitability or join the CDAC group, you can get a free digi!

You know I like to keep you up on free things, BUT don't just get your free stuff and disappear on the wonderful artists who share with you. Leave them some love, show them what you make with their images, and buy something when you find spare change around your house!

Louise - Part Two

I used Louise to make another card! I love that I can easily crop and resize digital stamps! This one is using sketch #65 from Tuesday Morning Sketches. When I saw the sketch, it reminded me of a card I made earlier this week with another great Guylou digi. Remember, Louise and Gabrielle are both available now as freebies at CDAC but not for much longer! If you want to get your hands on some of the other digis Guylou has, check out her store!

Paper Sundaes says that I can enter their challenge 3 times, so I'm putting both of my Louise cards in their current challenge, #41 - A Natural Woman. She's also going to hang out at the Anything Goes challenge at Crafty Purple Frog Challenge and Crafty Cardmarkers since Challenge 32 is to use a freebie!

Goodies

Still no cards to post, but I do have some things you might want to check out if you're a fan of free!

1. Christy @ Tiddly Inks is giving away some great candy. The best part of her giveaway is a CD with your choice of $50 of Tiddly Inks digital stamps! You have until November 4 to enter...

2. Snappy Stampin' w/Arielle has a free breast cancer awareness digi available TODAY only! You'll need to leave her a comment or send her an email to get it...

3. Jane's Lovely Cards has chosen some gorgeous poinsettias for this week's Friday Flowers from Simon Says Stamp. She'll draw the winner on Friday, October 22, 2010.

4. Bev at All the Things I Love  is giving away a Blueberry Magnolia stamp from Simon Says Stamp. She gives away something every weekend I think. You can enter the drawing until Sunday night in the UK. I'm around 3:30 p.m. EST right now, and the Mr. Linky says you have about 23.5 hours.

5. Create with TLC is having a scavenger hunt right now...

Where did the week go?

I think I made one card this week, and I can't figure out where the time has gone. I've been running family around a lot and haven't been able to just sit and create anything. I have been coloring though. A friend asked me to put some cards together for her (Thanks Hope!), and I've colored up some stuff for them. I've been working on some cards for my Secret Pal on PCP.  And I'm planning to start working on something for the new challenge at A Day for Daisies. The challenge is Black Out, and there's a cute, FREE!! digi if you want to participate!

Since I don't have any cards to post (yet), I'm sharing the cards I got the other day from my Secret Pal... She also sent me a rubber stamp. My Secret Pal is awesome!

UPDATE: I did finish two cards for my secret pal. I hate that I can't show them to you; I don't know how hard my pal will try to figure out who's sending her stuff and don't want to make it easy... I'm going to make a post for next Oct (!) when we all reveal ourselves. I'm just gonna update it every time I make something for her.