Pink Sheep

Here is another little lunch box note I made for my daughter. I love this little Sylvester image from InStyle Stamps, and she does too. For this card, I colored the face and edges of the image with gray Copics, and then used Liquid Applique to make him puffy.

The card is 4 1/4" square, so I just added some texture with a cuttlebug folder (because the argyle pattern paired with the sheep made me chuckle) and added a ribbon. Small and sweet, for my little sweetie!

You can check out the other newly released InStyle Stamps images here. Don't miss these other happenings, also:

• Today is the last day to get the Breast Cancer Images for FREE!
• Tomorrow is the last day for the Dollar Daze sale. Over 40 cling rubber stamps on clearance for $1!

Halloween Treat Bags

I made these treat bags for my daughter's teacher and classroom aide. They were super easy to make - I just grabbed a couple of brown lunch bags and attached cardstock fronts to them. For both bags, I used stamps from Sweet and Spooky, the October 2010 Lizzie Anne Designs monthly mix.  it's funny - when I got this mix I swore I'd never touch that super creepy spider - I hate spiders. But here I went and used it twice!

Lizzie Anne Designs is having a store-wide sale this weekend for Halloween! Everything is 20% off, so head over to do some shopping. Have fun!

Kindergarten Love

I made a couple of treat bags (they'll post later today) for my daughter's Kindergarten teacher and her classroom aide. My daughter was so excited about them, she wanted to make them each a card to go inside. I'm so in love with what she made and how sweet it is that I just had to share (yes, I'm that kind of mom!) For her teacher, she used Patches from InStyle Stamps. Isn't he cute? She picked out the cardstock, the Nestie shapes, and used the Cuttlebug all on her own. The only thing I did was cut and fold the card base, and tie the ribbon in a knot.  I'm so proud :)

She worked really really hard at writing this inside the card. She was upset that I forgot to draw her a line to write her name on, and it got crooked. And that she messed up one of the letters, and had to scratch it out. I told her I didn't think her teacher would mind at all. Friday morning she could barely wait to get to school, she was so excited about giving these to her teacher and aide. I love how much she loves them!

Saying Thank You

If you are hopping over here from Angelique's blog, welcome! It's blog hop time again over at InStyle Stamps. This month our theme is Giving Thanks. I decided to make this little folder - it has multiple purposes. My daughter and I are going to finish it together (and I'm thankful that she loves to do that), and then she is going to give it to my mother-in-law for Thanksgiving. If you read on, you'll see where the "giving thanks" theme works for that part.

Making this was really easy. Here's what I did:

1. Start with a 12"x6" piece of cardstock
2. Score it at 5 3/4" from each end, creating the "spine"
3. Flip the cardstock and scored one long line at 3 3/4", to create the inside pockets
4. Cut the cardstock along the score lines where you've created the spine, to separate it from the two inside flaps. I glued that small piece to the inner spine, for extra strength (it won't be the length of the spine).
5. Decorate the inside and outside as desired. You could put holiday tags, small notecards, embellished items, or whatever you can think of in there. Scoring the card at the 5 3/4" marks gives you a spine of 1", so there is not limit to the lumpiness that will fit in there.
6. Tie closed with a ribbon

Here is what the inside of mine looks like. Those mustard colored pieces of paper will eventually be joined by more, and all will have a white panel on them. My darling daughter is going to write things that she is thankful for (so far, her list includes love, family, friends, school, and Santa) and draw a picture to go with it. She's got her eye on some prima flowers and other embellishments to add to the outside of the flaps, so they won't stay plain brown.

Your next stop on the hop is the crazy talented Kristine - just wait until you see what she made! Thanks for hopping with us this month, and if you get lost along the way just head back to the InStyle Stamps blog and start all over again :) While you are there, vote for your favorite project and you could win a $25 goodie bag from InStyle Stamps!

Season's Greetings

This week our challenge over at Christmas Stampin' All Year Long was to create a card using purple and silver. I love that combo for the holidays! I couldn't resist throwing in a little bit of blue, though. And I broke out the silver embossing powder - I don't think I've used it since last year when I was working on holiday cards!

My adorable image is from the November monthly mix at Lizzie Anne Designs. It's called The Key to Happiness. It's a great mix, full of gorgeous images.

Be sure to head over the CSAYL blog to see what the other designers have come up with. You won't be disappointed!

A Flower for Cancer

InStyle Stamps has these great Breast Cancer Awareness images, and they are giving them away for free through Sunday. That's right - free! I love this Hope Daisy - it's so big and cheerful. I've seen some cute samples from the InStyle designers using this flower, and of course since it is Breast Cancer Awareness month they are all pink.

Don't get me wrong, I love pink. A whole whole lot. But I know people who have other kinds of cancers - not just breast cancer. In my family alone, I've seen four different kinds. I have a lovely friend who is currently battling colon cancer. And although she loves girlie things, her cancer awareness color is blue. So I thought, for the next note I sent her, I'd make her a blue flower to honor that.

I left my card simple to focus in the flower. I used my Scor-Buddy to emboss grid lines around the outer edges. And I left it embellishment free. It was quick, simple, and I think it's pretty :)

Be sure to head over to InStyle Stamps to see how you can get this image, and others, for free. They'll only be there through this Sunday, so hurry!

Frankie Boy

I made this little cutie forever ago, and totally forgot to share him! I figured I had better do it this week, or else I'd have to save him for next October. This is Frankie Boy, and he is part of the Funhouse collection from Pixie Dust Studio.

My favorite thing about this card is that the dp is a scrap piece that I came across. I had already cut out the nestie shape, and it just happened to work perfectly for this.

Sorry for the short post, but I'm up to my ears in work. I should have lot to share with you in the coming days, though!

Lizzie Anne Sketch!

It's my turn to host the Lizzie Anne Designs sketch challenge this week. This week I came up with a very simple sketch, with a super easy twist: BE SIMPLE!! That's right - don't overthink it, don't spend hours looking at matching papers or picking out stamps...just sit down and stamp something quick. With the holiday season coming up, I for one am pressed for time - between the handmade gifts, treat bags for DD's school, holiday cards, and my normal stuff it can get overwhelming. So my whole goal with this card was clean, quick, and easy.

My card uses stamps from Sweet and Spooky (the October 2010 Monthly Mix) as well as a sentiment from Treasured Trinkets (the September 2010 Monthly Mix). I used warm fall colors because they are my favs this week - mustard, rust, and creme. My only embellishment is the jute, which I wrapped around the awesome distressed polka dots. Quick, simple, and easy - from start to finish less than 20 minutes!

And here is the sketch:

I hope you get a chance to play along with us this week! Remember to post your creation over on the Lizzie Anne Facebook Page ~ we can't wait to see it!

Schoolhouse Rocks!

How cute is this card? I combined the schoolhouse image from the Lizzie Anne Designs monthly Mix, Spooky and Sweet, with papers and embellishments from the School Days Layout Kit that is available at The ScrappyChick Boutique. 

Have you seen all the goodness of at the ScrappyChick Boutique? Cyndi has an awesome selection of kits set up to make scrapping SO much easier for you - so go check it out!

Chloe Has a Snowflake

This is the Snowflake Chloe - the newest Chloe image from InStyle Stamps. Isn't she adorable? I paired her with some brand new Webster's Pages Waiting for Santa & Sweet Season. It's such beautiful paper! I had so much fun coloring this image and making my card, because once again my sweet daughter spent time being crafty with me! She made an adorable sample, too.

How sweet is this card? She colored and cut the image, and picked out the cardstock. Then she added Stickles to her hair, scraf, and earmuffs as I was using the edge punch she picked out. She ran her pink panel through the cuttlebug (she love love love to turn the handle and roll the plates through). And she raided my stash of snowflake embellishments to add a few to her card. She dug out two different pink ribbons and supervised me tying them on there for her - that was serious business! I'm so proud of my little cutie. She is so much fun to be around!

Be sure to check the InStyle Stamps blog to see what other awesome samples have been previewed for new release week!

Another All White Card :)

It's time again for another challenge over at Christmas Stampin' All Year Long. I've been pretty slack with these lately, since I've been sick. But these images were so cute I had to play this week!

Here's a little information about our sponsor this week:

Robyn's Fetish Digital Stamps And More, a division of I Did It Creations, was created and is
is owned by Robyn Weinrib.  Robyn offers a wonderful variety of digital stamps and digital papers,                                                                                                      
designed to meet the needs of all digital paper crafting addicts for every occasion.

Robyn's Fetish Digital Stamps And More is happy to offer the winner of this challenge 5 digital stamps
or 4 digital stamps and 1 digital paper set of their choice.

I made another all white card - I really love these. Quick, easy, and pretty! Our challenge was to use something metallic on our card - so I added those two snowflakes. Be sure to head over to the CSAYL Blog to see what the other designers came up with!

October InSpiration

image used: Patches

It's InSpiration Challenge time over at InStyle Stamps, and this month, of course, I picked a fun Halloween picture from the fabulous Martha Stewart's site. I swear, I could hang out there all day looking at the pictures.

For my card I drew inspiration from the warm yellow glow of the picture (so the card base is mustard), the brown vines trailing up the porch (the brown cardstock is embossed using a vine-ish cuttelbug folder) and of course the pumpkins (the pumpkin cardstock is embossed with the pumpkins cuttlebug folder, and obviously my image is pumpkin inspired!). I'm in the mood for quick and simple cards lately - nothing too fussy or fancy. So I stuck to the basics on this one and I love the way it turned out!

Photo Credit: Martha Stewart

Isn't the InSpiration picture gorgeous?!?! We'd love to have you play along with us this month. Just head over here for deets on how to enter, and to leave your link. You have until November 16th to play, so there is plenty of time. Be sure while you are over at the blog that you check out some of the amazing inspiration the other designers came up with!

Holiday Challenge

image used: Simply Singles - Santa

It's time again for our monthly Design Team challenge over at Lizzie Anne Designs. This month we were challenged to use holiday image to create both a project and a card. I'm trying to make more holiday gift tags, as most of the gifts we give this year will be homemade.  So for my project I made a holiday tag. I dug out some old Winter Wonderland paper from Lizzie Anne Designs, and added that to it. The whole thing came together fairly quickly - I think I'll be duplicating this design!

images used: Simply Singles - Snowmen

I used paper from the same pack on my card, because I think it's so cute that the snowmen match. Unfortunately the paper is no longer available, but these little guys would look cute with any holiday paper - especially the Deck the Halls or Way Up North digi paper!

Be sure to head over to the Lizzie Anne Designs blog to see what all the other designers made - you won't be disappointed!

It's New Release Time

It's new release time over at InStyle Stamps this week. All week long we'll be featuring new images, and they will all be available for purchase on Friday. Today Tilly is kicking things off. She joins two other adorable Tilly digi images already available in the store.

I used fall colors on my card, and my darling five year old decided to make hers pink and princess-y. Of course :) I love that she loves to be crafty. She has been working on more samples, so you'll be seeing them in the near future!

Be sure to check the InStyle Stamps blog all week for new releases - you'll see some amazing samples from the designers. And on Wednesday, we'll have a new InSpiration challenge, so mark your calendars and make time to play along.

The River Bends

It's the 15th of the month (how did that happen again??), which means it is preview day for next month's Monthly Mix over at Lizzie Anne Designs! The set is called The Key to Happiness, and you can click here to see the whole thing. Gorgeous, isn't it?!

I chose the amazing ship image and its coordinating sentiment for my very first card with these stamp. I am completely drawn to this sentiment - it is so beautiful. I based my card ont his week's sketch challenge - it's a little off, but close enough! I stamped them both on Bazzill textured cardstock, to give them a houndstooth-y (is that a word?) look,

Head over to the Lizzie Anne Designs blog to see some other samples, and for a complete list of the other fabulous ladies who have samples to show you!

InStyle Stamps October Color Challenge

Well here we are, mid-October. Wow! Autumn is in full swing outside - gorgeous leaves and cooler temperatures are everywhere. InStyle Stamps once again has an amazing color palette this month to challenge you with.

photo credit: Country Living

This is a beautiful harvest table, isn't it? I love the rustic blue sideboard in the background paired with the reds and yellows on the table. It's just so warm and inviting!

We'd love to have you play along with our color challenge this month! You have until Tuesday, November 9th at 11:59 PM PST to enter. Leave your link on the InStyle Stamps blog (directly to your entry, please) and remember to comment after you play! You could win TWO digi images from our store if you play along and use an InStyle Stamps image. If you don't use one of our images, you could win ONE digi image from us.

I don't have a card ready for this quite yet, but you'll see it in the next couple of days. Hopefully tomorrow! I'm still playing catch up from last week's surgery and the resulting complications.

Smile

Here is a quick CAS card I made using Treasured Trinkets, the September monthly mix from Lizzie Anne Designs. I love creating a sweet card in under 15 minutes! I'm recovering from minor kidney stone surgery today, so please pardon the short post. I'll be back soon, chatting your ear off!!

Also, I'd like to extend big congrats to the two newest members of the Lizzie Anne Designs DT - Pam Hornschu and Anya Schrier. These are two super talented ladies, and I'm really looking forward to working with them. Welcome to the Lizzie Anne family!

You Are Loved

This is "You Are Loved", from the Suzi Blu line. I just love the new Suzi Blu stamps from Unity. And Limelight Papercrafts has them ALL!!! I think this one is so pretty I didn't want to do anything but a CAS card to showcase her. When I got sick last week and the hubs was in charge of our daughter's lunches, he used this one as her lunchbox note one day. She was SO excited about it, lol. I'm so happy it made her smile on a day when she was super anxious because mom wasn't here with her.

Head over to Limelight Papercrafts to get some Suzi Blu stamps today. And while you are there, check out all of the other new goodies Mandy has in stock!

CPS Sketch

InStyle Stamps is sponsoring the sketch over at Card Positioning Systems again this week! It's a really fun sketch, and if you play along you might win a $20 gift certificate to the store. Head over to the CPS blog to check out all the details.

I used Kelli on my sample, which ended up being another lunch box note for my little sweetie. I'm thrilled with the coloring job on this one. I've been working on a class over at the Color Me Creative classroom. They are super helpful! I love that I can take them at my own pace, when it's convenient for me. So I get to work on stuff when I have time which is fab.

Little Birdie Thank You Notes

It's World Cardmaking Day again! I can't believe it's been a year already. I love this day - it celebrates the hobby I love so much. I'm planning on making a whole bunch of cards with my daughter today. We haven't had much crafty time together since she started school and I've been sick. I figured a worldwide celebration of one of our favorite things to do together would be the perfect excuse to get inky!

For this simple card, I used Treasured Trinkets, the September 2010 monthly mix from Lizzie Anne Designs. It's actually three separate stamps - the label, the sentiment, and the bird. I love love love how they've designed some sentiments to fit right inside the label.  I whipped up a whole bunch of these cards in various colors to give as gifts, and to have n hand when I need them.

Lizzie Anne Designs is celebrating World Cardmaking Day! Check out the deets:

FREE WORLD WIDE SHIPPING - World Card Making Day - October 2nd only!
No minimum purchase required. If you live in the US or Canada, use the code WCMD in the coupon code area on checkout. If you live in another international country, email us your order and we will send you bill via Pay Pal that includes free shipping!

We are also offering FREE WORLD WIDE SHIPPING on the October Monthly Mix set for any NEW member who signs up for the club today! Sign Up HERE... registration must be on October 2nd to qualify.

Adventurous

Here is a quick little card I made recently using the Adventurous Itty Bitty stamp by Unity. I got it over at Limelight Papercrafts - they have such a great selection of Unity goodies! I'm sad to say that my time with them has ended - it was super fun being a guest designer for Limelight for both August and September!

Be sure to stop by the Limelight store to see all of the great specials that Mandy has, and stop by the Limelight blog frequently to see their newest challenges (and win some goodies!)

It happens to be sketch challenge time over at the Limelight blog, so be sure to play along! I didn't have a chance to this week, since I've been a bit under the weather. But it is a great sketch - so enter for a chance to win a new Webster's Pages paper pad!