Harry Potter Himself

It's sneak peek time over at Pixie Dust Studio! Can you guess what this newest release is? Harry Potter!!!! I adore it! Today I'm showing you a little mini takeout box I made for my daughter, to put a few of her many treasures in. She hovered over me while I colored Harry, to make sure I used just the right colors, lol. She's a fanatic, that one!!

Be sure to go check out the Pixie Dust Studio blog to see what the other Pixies have been up to - they make the most fabulous things!!!

Lunch Box Notes

It's my turn to host the sketch challenge over at Lizzie Anne Designs this week!! The sketch is designed for a square card - and mine is 4 1/4" x 4 1/4". Why so small? Well, that's the twist -- make a card that is perfect for "note" size. Something sweet you can slip in your kids' lunchbox, or backpack. Or your husband's briefcase. Or on someone's desk, to brighten their morning. It's all about making something small that will bring a big smile to another person's day!

My card uses the School Days set, and it is going in the front pocket of my daughter's lunchbox. She starts kindergarten next week - I so wish I could be there to see her smile when she gets this!

Please play along - post your cards on the Lizzie Anne Designs Facebook page, or in the Customer Gallery!

Hello There!

I made this recently using Ellie, a newly released digi image from InStyle Stamps. Isn't she darling? I love how sweet her eyes make her look - so earnest! I colored her with Copics and paired her with Basic Grey dp. The sentiment on the label is from the Lizzie Anne Designs monthly mix set Treasured Trinkets.

Both of the white layers have pink ink sponged on lightly, for a soft effect. I had forgotten how much I like layering so many nesties together!

Growing Family Tree

Tuesday my sweet sister-in-law welcomed a beautiful daughter into the world - that's the third baby in our family this year! She's absolutely angelic! I made them a simple little "welcome baby" card using the Lizzie Anne Designs sixlet set Great Expectations. The colors for the baby's nursery are pink and green, which is where my color scheme came from.

I stamped the tree three times on different sheets of Basic Grey dp, and cut out the circles. I adhered them onto the white base that I had also stamped the image on. The sketch is an older challenge from LAD - you can find it on the blog here.

Time to Shop!!

Molly is available as a digi image from InStyle Stamps

It's the end of the month, which means it is blog hop time over at InStyle Stamps. This month our theme is "End of Summer" -- how did we get here so fast? You should have arrived here from the lovely Cyndi's blog - wasn't her project adorable?

In 10 short days my sweet baby starts kindergarten *sob*! So, for my end of summer project, I made something for her.  I used Molly to create a chipboard album to commemorate one of the fun things we do towards the end of summer - go shopping for new clothes. But this year, it was shopping for new clothes for school, and for school supplies.  The other "pages" aren't quite finished yet, but this one is - it's the cover! I got this chipboard album awhile ago in at the $1 spot at Michael's - and it happened to be on sale, so I only paid $.60!! My dp is by Webster's Pages, and I love it. The gorgeous crochet ribbon is from Limelight Papercrafts (and pssstttt....she's having a sale!!)

Your next stop is the fabulous Cathy - she has whipped up something amazing to show you! And so you don't miss a single stop along the way, head over to the InStyle Stamps blog too. While you are there, vote for your favorite project and leave a comment - you could win a $25 goodie bag from InStyle Stamps!

Have a Flower!

Molly Is Giving You a Flower

This week over at Christmas Stampin' All Year Long we are taking a quick break from Christmas cards to make something different! Softpencil Stamps has been kind enough to sponsor us this week, and everyone made a project using some of their adorable images. I used this darling image to make a card for my daughter. I'm going to put in in her backpack on her first day of school, as a sweet surprise.

She's starting kindergarten in 10 days, and while she is super excited (and I'm a wreck) she is starting to get a bit apprehensive about being away from us all day. So we've been doing little things to help get her excited. Yesterday we picked out her "first day" outfit, and it happens to be a purple shirt. So I colored this little cutie to match.

Be sure to head over to the Christmas Stampin' blog, to see what the other amazing ladies have created and to read the deets about how to play along and win a $10 gift certificate to SoftPencil!

Dress Up Girl

It's challenge time over at Pixie Dust Studio! This week's challenge is to use stitches - faux or real - on your card. Perfect! I love to add handstitching to my cards. I used the Let's Play Dress Up image for my card, and paired her with some awesome Basic Grey Olivia paper that I got over at Limelight Papercrafts.

Head over to the Pixie Challenge blog to see what the other Pixies have created, and to play along with us!!! And then head over to Limelight Papercrafts to check out the amazing sales and grab some of the NEW Cosmo Cricket mini decks!

Feeling Ducky?

I fell head over heels in love with this adorable new image from InStyle Stamps the second I saw it! Her name is Alma, and I just think she is truly darling! And those little ducklings...too sweet! I made a joy fold card to showcase them all.

I colored my image with Copics. I colored the ducklings on a second image, cut them out, and popped them up on dimensionals. I love that the image is large enough to cover the whole main panel! I did change the dimensions of that panel slightly - mine is 3.25" x 7" as opposed to the 3" x 8" recommended in this tutorial. That way my square image fit perfectly!

Thanks So Much

Here is a quick thank you card I made recently! I haven't used any of my Stampin' Up sets in awhile, so I got a couple out. I had completely forgotten I had both of these (Pocket Silhouettes and Organic Grace), so I was pleased to rediscover them! Forever ago someone sent me a card with a layout similar to this (the sentiment on that one was in a different place, and it was square not oval), so I can't take credit for this one all by myself. But being the goof that I am, I just drew the sketch in my book and did not write down where i got it from! So, whoever you were......thanks for the inspiration!

I left off all of the embellishments, so that I could add this card to my "quick and easy to mail" stack - no extra postage or anything required. Unfortunately that stash is smaller than I want it to be! I should get to work ;)

Just Hangin' Around

I made this a few days ago for my sweet daughter. I've been promising something to hang on her doorknob forever, and kept forgetting. I knew as soon as I saw this adorable new image, Let's Hang, from InStyle Stamps that it would be perfect for what I had in mind! I left it pretty simple because I'm not sure how long it will survive the attack cat or my daughter's constant opening and shutting of her door.

I colored the image with Copics and cut it out with my nesties. The whole panel is mounted on super thick pop dots. I added a bit of ribbon and a bunch of primas. And because she insisted and eve though they don't match perfectly. I added her initials in chipboard. She cannot get enough of those pink polka dotted letters! She has used so many I couldn't spell her whole name - that's why we compromised on her initials.

This was a super easy project to make, and she really enjoyed hanging out with me while I did it. I think I'll be making more of them for holidays - Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas -- won't that be cute?!

In case you missed it, there was a scavenger hunt during the release party over at the Papercraft Planet group. It's open until 8:00 PM EST tonight, so go play along!!! You could win a prize :)

Funhouse Fairy

Meet Frankie Funhouse Fairy, one of the newest images from Pixie Dust Studio! I love this image, she's so cute!! I put her on a super simple card - not even a scrap of dp! I love the purple and green together.

I put the green panel through the Cuttlebug using the spiderweb folder. I always forget about that one. Apparently, I learned when I made this , it is my daughter's "most favorite thing in the world". That makes about a hundred things on her most favorite list!

The First Dance

It's challenge time over at Lizzie Anne Designs, and this month the design team was handed a super fun task: take a picture of something you love, and then make a card using that picture for inspiration. I couldn't settle on something in my house (I have a hard time playing favorites), so I went with a picture that someone snapped during our first dance almost eight years ago.

I could not wait to use some of the new stamps in the Treasured Trinkets monthly mix. I used Tim Holtz distress embossing powders for my image, cut it out, and mounted it on dimensionals. I stamped the sentiment in distress ink. On the card base I stamped the music notes from the It's Good to Be Queen set, and sponged distress ink all over it.

I took my original photo and worked on a bit in Photoshop. Once I gave it some soft edges and a sepia tone, I added a texture that I got from Kim Klassen - she's a genius! The texture has song lyrics and music notes on it, which I echoed on my card.

I'm totally pleased with the way I incorporated all the things that this picture means to me in my card -- music, feeling, and warmth. Since the photo has an old, vintage feel to it, I tried to reflect that in my card. I love the way it turned out! Be sure to head over to the Lizzie Anne Designs blog to see what the other rockstars have come up with!

Just a Swingin'

This is my second post today. To see my Limelight Papercrafts challenge post, click here or scroll down!

It's challenge day over at Pixie Dust Studio! Today's challenge is to use polka dots on your card. That's fun - I love polka dots!!! I used some Basic Grey dp, and the sweet little Gnome Playtime image. I colored him with Copics and sponged blue ink around the edges.

Be sure to head over to the Pixie Challenge blog to see what the other Pixies have created! You won't be disappointed, I promise ;)

Oh - I'm sorry about the less than fab picture! We weer having some severe thunderstorms, and even my Ott Lite couldn't make it perfect!

Happy Birds

It's sketch challenge time over at Limelight Papercrafts today! Mandy drew a fantabulous sketch for us this week. I *love* that it lends itself to a CAS card, because that is totally what I'm in the mood for! I'm also in the mood for bright colors, so I used the fuschia netting that I got from the store as my starting point for this card. My stamp is from an older Unity kit, but I absolutely love those chickies! Our product focus this week was an all occasion sentiment, so I went with "happy", from another kit of the month. Can't get much more all purpose than that, right?

To finish off my CAS card I added a few flowers from the Jillibean Soup Bean Seeds collection. Aren't they darling? They happen to be on sale!!!!!

Now it's time to hop on over to the other Limelight Designer's blogs to see the awesomeness they have come up with! Here is the full list:

Mandy
Jennifer
Lisa
Lynn

And be sure to check out the amazing sales over at Limelight Papercrafts.....you know you need some goodies!! (I do. I really really do. I'm trying to figure out how to pass off stamp stuff under the school supplies budget!!) AND she has NEW COSMO CRICKET!!!!! Eeeeek!!!!! If you play along this week, you could win your choice of the newest mini decks -- hello, awesome!!! Check the deets over at Mandy's blog!

Get Carried Away

Today is color challenge day over at the InStyle Stamps blog! This month I chose a refreshingly simple color combo, inspired by some yummy drinks I discovered on the Martha Stewart website. Because the pic, to me, inspires a simple card, that's what I did. I cut out the Cloud digi image and the Fly Away Chloe digi image and colored them both with Copics. I generated a sentiment on my computer and gave it a bit of color, too. Because the flags in the picture had angles, I used those on my sentiment, rather than cutting them out straight. My only embellishment is the line of fused pearls that I hand-stitched on.

Isn't it the greatest picture? Be sure to head over tho the InStyle Stamps blog to see what some of the other ladies have come up with for this challenge. While you are there, read all of the deets about how to play along with us, and win some images for yourself!

Frankie's Bride

It's release day over at Pixie Dust Studio!! This release is called Funhouse, and the images are darling! Today I'm showing you Frankie's Bride. Isn't she adorable? I colored her with Copics, added some handstitching, and used my EK Success bat punch for fun. I think she is adorable!

Be sure to head over to the other Pixies' blogs to check out their cuteness. And head over to the Studio to get in on the Funhouse collection!

Ultimate Vamp Fan

Pixie Dust Studio is releasing new images this week!! Today I'm previewing "Ultimate Vamp Fan" - isn't she soooo cute? I love that she is holding a little pic of Edward. That's too funny! And I love that she has bite marks on her neck. I laughed so much when I noticed those (click on the pic to enlarge it - you'll see them then!)!! I used some Basic Grey Ambrosia dp to make my joy fold card. Instead of a small accent to hold it closed. I tied the ribbon around the left flap so that the center part would just tuck underneath it.

Be sure to stop by the other Pixies' blogs today and see what they are previewing! They've got some super cute stuff!!

I Like You!

I made this for last week's Lizzie Anne Designs sketch challenge. I just love the clean design of this sketch - it really lends itself to being completely embellishment free. So, I left it like that!

I used some American Crafts paper that I totally forgot I had - so it's like brand new!! I have a whole pack of it. It' gives me the warm fuzzies :) My stamps are from Hey Sunshine, the monthly mix from last August. Aren't they adorable?!?! I stamped the bird four times in different inks, and then added the sentiment.

Enjoy Life - Mix It Up!

It's the 15th of the month, and that is Mix It Up Day with Lizzie Anne Designs! Design Team members and Mix members are blog hopping, AND we are previewing the newest monthly mix! Today my card uses Turn Towards the Sun, which is this month's mix. I love this ice cream cone image!

Are you ready for a look at next month's mix set? You are going to *love* it...I'm not-so-patiently waiting for it to show up in my mailbox, lol. I can't wait for it to get here! It's called Treasured Trinkets.

You can see some samples on the Lizzie Anne Designs blog today. Be prepared - they're gorgeous!

Also, check out the ladies who are hopping along with us this month:

Kate Boyle
Patricia Hays
Tricia Ulberg (Lizzie)
Meridith Ethington (Anne)
Kendra Wietstock
Jeanne Streiff
Joslyn Nielson
Wendy Price

Plant a Seed

Here's Garden girl, from the Grow Green set by Amber Ink. How cute is she?? Don't you wish you looked like that when you gardened?? I paired her with some Basic Grey paper that I *heart*, and echoes the polka dots on her apron. How did I do that? Well, I colored it with my Copic markers and then took my colorless blender and just dotted it on top. Easy peasy!

Let's talk about acrylic stamps again. Because you're fabulous, you are probably super good at stamping with them. But me - not so much. I have a tendency to not get clean images, or tear the acrylic. But let me tell you about the quality of this goodness from Amber Ink -- wowza!! Even a crafty goober like me managed to get it right, lol! The acrylic is super thick, cleans up easily, and stamps a great image. I love them! If you are the impatient type (which I usually am), you can alos get this set as a digi download. And there is a bunch of iPaper to coordinate with it too! i *know* you know how I feel about that awesomeness!

A little secret - this card took like a week to make.. Why, you ask? Well, because I kept stamping the image, coloring it, and losing it. Seriously - like 4 times. I'm actually really happy though, because this version is definitely my favorite!

Christmas Stamping!

It's Friday (can you hear my sigh of relief?) and that means it is time for another Christmas Stampin' All Year Long challenge. This week we all created cards using at least two designer papers, and images from InStyle Stamps. I used Scarf Chick (available as a digi image) on my card. I've had this image for awhile, but this is the first time I've used her. Isn't she adorable?

My papers are from the Jolly Holiday paper pack. I got it on clearance at Hobby Lobby last year. I love that it is full of patterns and colors that aren't traditional holiday color schemes! I actually used three different pieces of dp on this card - the blue weathered, the blue weathered with green polka dots, and the green Happy Holidays print. I added the handstitching myself. I actually did that part in the car on the way to pick up my daughter from her night out at my MIL's house -- I don't recommend handstitching in the car!!

I also got to use my new Martha Stewart double loop punch around the page set for the first time. I had a 50% off coupon for Michael's, so I had to have that set! I love it! They also had a bunch of MS edge punches on clearance, so I snapped up another two for $5 each. I can't resist a good deal :)

Be sure to go over to the Christmas Stampin' All Year Long blog to see what the other fabulous ladies have created, and to find out all the deets about how to win a prize from InStyle Stamps!