Guess What?

This is my second post today. See my Lizzie Anne Designs Sketch here!

I'm delighted to finally announce that I've been invited to join the talented designers over at Claudia and Company! I've kept the secret for so long!I love all of the products she sells in her store, so I'm super excited about this. Check out the company I'll be keeping:

Claudia and Company

Kadie

Piali

Taylor

Jodi

Tanya

Joy

If you don't already follow the Claudia and Company blog, please do! We'll be back tomorrow with the March Digi Stamp release - so stay tuned :)

Lizzie Anne Sketch Time!

It's my turn to host the Lizzie Anne Designs sketch challenge this week. I kept things very simple, using the Bonjour set and kraft card stock. I'm obsessed with kraft card stock! My extra twist for the sketch this week is to actually stamp the background scallops, not use an edge punch to make them. I chose the medallion image from the set to make mine, but Lizzie Anne Designs has several other options too - check Warmest Wishes for a vintage lace border, Turn Towards the Sun for some pretty scallops, and Timeless Textures (a sixlets set) for some awesome edges! I could've also gone with the fleur de lis in the Bonjour set, but I liked the medallion for this card. I dirtied up all the edges, to mimic the aged Curio (Basic Grey) paper. To finish the card off I added three glazed brads in the lower corner, and wrapped some twine around the card front above the image.

I hope you have time to play along with us this week! Remember to post your creation over on the Lizzie Anne Designs Facebook page, so we can all see it!

Unicorns and Moonbeams

Oh my cuteness I love this unicorn! Her name is Moonbeam, and she is part of the new release coming up this week at Pixie Dust Studio. I colored her white with hot pink accents, to make my daughter smile. And I'm not going to lie, it makes me smile too!

Be sure to check out the other Pixie's blogs all week long - everyone will be showing of these darling new images. And they'll be available in the store on Tuesday!

Blog Hopping With Claudia & Co!

Hello and welcome to Claudia and Company's first ever Customer Blog Hop! We’re so excited to have you join us! Today Claudia and Company is celebrating all of US; their dear friends and customers and that includes YOU!

If you’ve just joined the fun, be sure to pop over to the Claudia and Company Blog to start the hop and get all the deets!

I whipped up this quick card using Lucy, from the Puddle Jumper collection by Lori Boyd. I used some Marjolaine paper (Basic Grey), and added a coordinating glazed brad to the ribbon knot. Lucy is colored with Copics.

Be sure and leave a comment on each of today’s fabulous posts, to be eligible for the prizes that are up for grabs! You'll have until Monday, February 28, 12pm EST to comment. Winners will be announced on March 1, during their Release Day Showcase.

Here is the complete list of stops on the Hop! Thanks for joining us and happy hopping!

LORi

Tracy

Sheri

Sandra

Krista

Kadie

Piali

Joni

Gwen

Sheng

Margie

Kelly

Jeanette

Cara

Kimmarie

Arielle

Hannah

Beverly

Sharette

Joy

Susan

Carol

Nicole

Paola

Mary J

April

Barb

Lorie

Sarabeth

Catherine

Veronica

Jessica

Judy

Taylor (you are here!) 

Lysa

Jen

Jess

Pam

Heather

Mary

Claudia

Waiting For Summer

It's Pixie Challenge day today, and this week our theme is "Vacation Time". We were challenged to create a card/project using summer themes, elements, or colors. For me, summer is all about bright bold colors, so I went with Cosmo Cricket's Pixie-licious patterned paper. I used the newly released "When Will My Princess Come" image because summer also mean lots of cleaning for me - all the dirt, sand, mud, grass, pool stuff, and outdoor toys! But I love it, and wouldn't have it any other way :)

Be sure to stop by the Pixie Challenge blog and take a look at what the other Pixies have done, and play along with us while you are there!!

3 Times the Goodness!

I have absolutely fallen in love with the images from Michelle Perkett. They are SO wonderful, and whimsical, and fun! And they have excellent sentiments available with them, too. This weekend my daughter and I sat down for crafty time, and she wanted to color a mermaid like I was (more on that later!). I saw this image recently, and had to have it immediately!!! What an amazing quote from Maya Angelou. I left the card pretty simple, using some Pixie-licious paper and buttons from Cosmo Cricket.

I also made this sweet little dragonfly for a friend. I paired it with Basic Grey Olivia paper. The dragonfly is done twice - once on the base, and again on scratch paper, fussy cut, and then adhered by its body. I curled the wings, to give it some dimension.

See how it looks from the side? This one is simple too - because I'm putting it in the mail, and it'll already cost more since it is square! And now for my daughter's amazing creation:

HOW sweet is that??? She picked out the colors on her own, and asked me to turn it into a card for her. So she ended up with a 4 1/4" notecard, with just the right amount of sparkle and bling. I just think it is so stinkin' adorable!

Birthday Jester

Today's Birthday Card Challenge over at The Outlawz is to make a card with a winter theme. I wanted to make one that didn't have a traditional winter image, because it was so warm this weekend I was in the mood for spring! So I got out some paper from a holiday stack (from Hobby Lobby) and colored up the adorable Jingles the Jester from the newest release over at Pixie Dust Studio. I used cool winter colors (that double for yummy spring shades!) and since Jingles has on a scarf and super cute hat, I figured he'd work!

My sketch came from this week's Cardabilities sketch challenge - it's a great one, isn't it?

Krafty Birthday

It's challenge day with the designers over at Lizzie Anne Designs, and this month we had a super fun one! We were challenged to choose another designer's card from the Sketchbook, and make a card based on it. After days and days and days of pouring over the gallery, drooling over samples, I finally settled on this one, Kraft/Black Bonjour, by Rose Ann Reynolds. What drew me to it was the great color scheme, and how simple and elegant it was.

To make the card my own, I used the Vintage Birthday set. I stamped two different sentiments to make by background (before stamping them, I stamped them once on scratch paper to lessen how dark the ink would be on the Kraft card stock. I fussy cut my balloon and adhered it with pop-dots. For the main sentiment, I trimmed the black mat and scored it on either side, to make a banner that sits up off the card.  I happened to have the same ribbon that Rose Ann used, but I tied mine horizontally instead of vertically.

Be sure to head over to the Lizzie Anne Designs blog today, to see what the other amazing Rockstars came up with!

{Virtual} Valentine's Day Winners!

It's time to announce the winners from the amazing blog hop this week! First I'd like to thank everyone who played along with us - the ladies who took the time to contribute a project for the hop, the amazing people who left supportive and encouraging comments on SO many blogs, and last but NOT least our generous sponsors! I'm so thrilled that my little nugget of an idea turned into such a virtual love-fest :)

Here's how this worked: I made a list of all the participants, in no particular order. I then went to random.org and asked for 20 numbers*, to give me the blogs to draw winners from. It gave me a couple of multiples, to for those numbers I had my 5 year old give me a number off the top of her head (it took me awhile to explain that any number above 57 was not helpful - she really wanted me to pick something in the millions range).  Those numbers determined which participant's blogs would have a prize winning comment. And then I ask each of those people to use random.org to select a winning comment. If that person was unavailable, I did it for them.

If your name is on this list, please use the "Email Me" button at the top of my blog to send me a note. In the Subject line, please put: Valentine's Day Hop Winner. In the email, include your contact info, and what prize you've won. Some prizes will be mailed directly to you from the sponsors, some will be emailed to you (in the case of digis). And please be aware, I'm away from my computer Friday, so you might not hear from me right away. I'm going to give everyone until Sunday night at 6:00 PM EST to claim their prizes, and then I'll draw new winners. That's just over 48 hours :)

Ok, here's the official winner's list (in no particular order)!

Tracey (from Louise Healy's blog) - prize: 5 digi images of the winner's choice from Pink Cat Studio
Ronnie (from Libby Hickson's blog) - prize: 2 Cosmo Cricket 6x6 paper pads from The ScrappyChick Boutique
Terrece (from Sandie Dunne's blog) - prize: 4 images of winner's choice from MelJen's Designs
Dayle (from Berenice Rendon's blog) - prize: 2 digis of winner's choice from Karber Digital Images
Silvia (from Jennifer Dove's blog) - prize: 5 digi's of wonner's choice from Di's Digi Downloads
Jan (from Mary Collins's blog) - prize: digi stamp set of choice from Stamp Insanity
Janelle (from Sunghee Chon's blog) - prize: $20 gift certificate to Little Potato House
Erin L (from Wendy Price's blog) - prize: $10 gift certificate to Amber Ink
Allye (from Cathy Wallington's blog) - prize: 4 digi images from Kenny K's Shop
Jessi (from Patricia Hays's blog) - prize: 4 cling rubber stamp from Stampendous (new release)
Victoria (from Maria Levine's blog) - prize: 2 digi's of winner's choice from Pixie Dust Studio
BlackBird (from Tina Kiehn's blog) - prize: Meaning of Love digi set from Chi Chi Memories
Saskia (from Audrey E's blog) - prize: 5 digi images of winner's choice from Paper Pretties
Suzi (from Jessica Fitzgerald's blog) - prize: 2 rubber stamps from Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps
Sharon (from Cat Darling's blog) - prize: Timeless Love acrylic stamp set from Paper Pretties
Stephanie Z (from Lynell Harlow's blog) - prize: Dreamweaver's prize pack
Mobolilu (from Julie Elak's blog) - prize: 5 digi images of winner's choice from Paper Pretties
Velma (from Joyce Martens's blog) - prize: One year general membership to Christian Paper Crafts
Beth (from Taylor Usry's blog - that's me!) - prize: $10 gift certificate to Lizzie Anne Designs
Pen to Paper (from Angelique Nederpel's blog) - prize: 3 digi images from Simply Betty Stamps

Wow - what a list of goodness!!!!!

*please note: originally I stated there were 21 winners for this hop. I incorrectly wrote down a sponsor on this list that was actually contributing a prize for another hop that I coordinate. I'm so sorry for any confusion, and hope that you can understand my honest error!

Funky Happy Birthday

I needed to make a super quick birthday card for my little brother today, and here's what I came up with. Simple, fun, boy-ish, not frilly....it should work fine for him! I used patterned paper from Echo Park's Little Boy Collection (you can get some at Claudia & Company!) and paired it with the new Funky Happy Birthday single from Lizzie Anne Designs.  Quick and easy - it's already in the mail!

This card happens to fit the challenge going on over at Claudia & Company this week - yay!

The Hatter Goes Gray

Looking for the {Virtual} Valentine's Day Blog Hop? Go here!

It's the 15th, and that means we have a new challenge over at the Desert Islands Crafters Challenge blog! Have you checked out this new challenge blog yet? It's super fun - twice a month we share an itinerary, and you have to make a card or project using at least three of the items on the list. Isn't that easy?

The itinerary this week has been created by the talented Juanita Gillen. Check it out:

1. Monochromatic
2. Movie or Book inspired
3. Buttons
4. The word “ FRIEND(S)” in your sentiment
5. Border Punch
6. Only one pattern paper
7. The color Red
8. No flowers
9. Swirls
10. Sparkle

On my card, I accomplished all sorts of stuff! My sketch is from this week's CPS Sketch, so that's one big plus in my book. I broke out my old Wonderland set from The Greeting Farm and colored the Hatter in a monochromatic scheme. That gave me two checks - movie/book inspired (I should get bonus points because it's a book and a movie!), and the color scheme. I used just one piece of patterned paper (that was hard), no flowers, chose paper with swirls, and added some sparkle in the top corner. And as an added extra, my patterned paper, although gray, has the teensiest hint of red - so check that one off too! My grand total for this itinerary is: 7 out of 10! Throw in the bonus because it's a book AND a movie and the fact that I used another challenge for the sketch and I am pleased as punch.

Be sure to head over to the Desert Island Crafters blog to see what the other creative geniuses have come up with, and to see all the deets on how to play along!

Look How CUTE!

Look at this darling image - isn't she the sweetest thing? I've just discovered this new digi store, Wee Stamps, and I am already in love. Illustrator Sylvia Zet is amazing! This image, 'Wee Suzi' is a must have for me. And I can't wait for more! Stop by the store and her blog today. You won't regret it :) And hurry - you may be able to get 'Wee Suzi' for free to celebrate her release!

Happy {Virtual} Valentine's Day!

Last week I had the fun idea to throw together a fun little Valentine's Day blog hop, to spread the virtual love. I thought, maybe, like ten people would want to play along. Boy was I ever wrong! Today you get to join over 40 of us to spread the Valentine's Day love, and get the chance to win one of 21 prizes while you are doing it!

First, let me show you my Valentine's and love themed cards :) This one is Romeo Loves Juliet, and its a brand new release from Pixie Dust Studio. It'll be available tomorrow! I paired it with a digi sentiment from Sweet 'n Sassy stamps. Be sure to check out the other Pixies, many of whom are hopping along with us today, for some awesome projects using images from the new release!

My next card uses my all time favorite bunny image - Bunny Hug from Amber Ink. It reminds me so much of the kids' book Guess How Much I Love You, which I adore reading to my little ones. I didn't add an actual Valentine's Day sentiment to this one, because the paper (from Webster's Pages) already had the word love printed on it - handy, yes?

My very last project I debated sharing. But then I decided I should show off the quick and easy, not foo-foo cards I make for my kids! I love the adorable image, and even though it is technically a Halloween one (Princess Babe from Amber Ink) it works for Valentine's Day too :) It's pretty simple, because I made it for my 5 year old for a Valentine's surprise in her lunch at school. She is going to go nuts over the pink and red, and that's all that matters to me!

And now to the looooong list of hoppers and prizes! You will have until Thursday, Feb 17th at 6:00 PM EST to get through this amazing list of talent and creativity. The more comments you leave, the more chances you have to win. I will draw comments from random blogs (all using random.org) for the 21 prizes from our generous sponsors. A full list of winners will be posted here on Friday!

Here are the hoppers. If for some reason someone's post isn't up, or you get stuck, just come back here and go to the next blog!

Taylor Usry - you are here now!
Libby Hickson 

Cyndi Bundy 
Amber Hillman 
Angelique Nederpel 
Tanya Johnson 

Suzi McKenzie 
Cathy Wallington 
Pam Hornschu 
Wendy Price 
Patricia Hays
Maria Levine 
Sandie Dunne 
Juanita Gillen 

Janelle Stollfus 

Mary Collins
Berenice Rendon 
Cheryl Gorka 
Jessica Fitzgerald 
Dee Morris 

Darsie Bruno 
Sandy Allnock 
Margie Cortina 
Kathy Fronczak 
Cat Darling 
Joyce Martens (Jolara) 
Erin Leveille
Gudrun Loennecken
Mackenzie Bruckler 
Melissa (Pink Cat) 
Patty Tanuz 
Emily Leiphart 
Jane Matsumoto 
Kimme Leach 
Kerry Kung 
Heather Lee-Reppen 
Rachel Sztonyk 
Jennifer Dove 
Lysa Q
Erica Johnson-Wanzer 
Tina Kiehn 
Sugar Whiting 
Karin Martin 
Sunghee Chon 
Tanis Palmer 
Lindsey Martin-Penny 
Kristi Parker Van Doren 
Julie Elak 

Alison Heikkila 
Audrey E 
Laura Drahozal
Louise Healy 

Wendy Jordan 

Lynell Harlow 

Terrece Siddoway  

Liz Martin 

Kim Reid 

Beth Ranney-Thomas 

And a list of the sponsors and available prizes (in NO particular order):

Prize: $10 gift certificate (from me)

Prize: 2 rubber stamps of the winner's choice

Prize: 5 digi images of the winner's choice

Prize: 2 Cosmo Cricket 6x6 paper pads (to one winner)

Prize: 4 digi images of the winner's choice

Prize: 2 digi images of the winner's choice

Prize: 5 digi images of the winner's choice

Prize: Digi stamp set of winner's choice

Prize: $10 gift certificate to the store

Prize: $20 gift certificate to the store

Prize: see picture below

Dreamweaver's Stencils Prize: Palette Knife, Embossing Paste, 2 Stencils

Prize: 4 digi images of winner's choice

Prize: 4 cling rubber stamps from the new release to one winner

Prize: 2 dig images of the winner's choice

Prize: Meaning of Love digi stamp set to one winner

Prize #1: Timeless Love acrylic stamp set; Prize #2: 5 digi images of winner's choice; Prize #3: 5 digi images of winner's choice

Prize: stamp set of company's choice to one winner

Prize: 3 digi images of winner's choice

Prize: One Year General Membership

Wow - can you BELIEVE all of that goodness? The more you comment, the more chances you have to win! Don't forget: You will have until Thursday, Feb 17th at 6:00 PM EST to get through this amazing list of talent and creativity. I will draw comments from random blogs (all using random.org) for the 21 prizes from our generous sponsors. A full list of winners will be posted here on Friday!

And a HUGE HGE HUGE thank you to everyone who is participating today, and all of the amazing companies who donated fabulous prizes for us! Can't you just FEEL all the love? Happy hopping!