GSG2 Cupcake Swap

This was the swap that I made for the Great Swap Girls new catalog swap, I tried to come up with something different because I've seen so many excellent cards done with this Crazy for Cupcakes stamp set. So I decided to spotlight or highlight the cupcakes using the new 1 3/4" circle punch so that your eye is drawn directly to the pink fluffy frosted cupcakes. There are seven layers on this card not including the white circle, you'd think with seven layers I'd be working on a cake card, lol. I used my aqua brush to color the cupcakes and then went back in using my SU markers to add more color, then applied crystal effects to the cherries. This picture is not the greatest but its been cloudy with rain off and on today, so this is the best I could get.

I'm running low on energy over this past week due to the fact that our 22 month old son Connor has decided he's just not going to sleep - ever! Maybe he's fighting something off I'm not sure, but for the past week or more he has been awful about going to bed, then wakes up at least once during the night some times more. He woke up mid morning around 3:00am today and DH brought him into bed with us so he could kick and flop around and try and crawl off the bed. Then at 5:50am I heard a noise in the kitchen, woke my husband in a panic and started running down the hall because I thought it was Connor who had gotten out of bed and the basement door wasn't closed, when really it was our oldest son Zach getting breakfast. All to find out that Connor had finally fallen asleep in our bed and nether of us noticed. So needless to say I'm functioning on high doses of coffee and Dove dark chocolates.
Sorry for the rambling.

Supplies: Crazy for Cupcakes, Polka Dot BG, Bella Rose designer paper, Taffeta ribbon, Scalloped edge punch, Circle punch, Aqua brush, SU markers, Crystal Effects, Pop dots. Colors: Chocolate Chip, Pink Pirouette, Riding Hood Red, Kraft, Whisper White.

Warm Hugs and Exciting News

Today I received some exciting news, I belong to the Bellacholicsanonymous Yahoo group which is a wonderful group of women that love Stamping Bella's just like I do and the group was looking for a few women to post monthly challenges. So I thought it sounded like fun, so I submitted my information and guess what? I'm now one of the official "Challenge Queens" for the group, how cool is that! What a great title too huh, it totally works for me, lol! My challenge, during the time that I reign is the Anything Goes Challenge which will be on the 4th Friday of each month. It sure would be fun if everyone joins in on the challenges starting this Friday October third with the Embellishment Challenge!

It's always a catch 22 (were does that phrase come from?) I work on Bella cards and miss doing Stampin' Up, I work on Stampin' Up cards and then I miss my Bella's. I need to mix it up and live on the wild side, lol!

Supplies: Snowbunnybella, Warm Hugs - Stamping Bella, Atomic Turquoise designer paper - Sandylion, Cuttlebug embossing, Ribbon, Copics, Dazzling Diamonds, Pop dots. Colors: Taken with Teal, Certainly Celery, Night of Navy, Whisper White.

Fall Flower Card

This was the final project that we made for stamp camp this week, I wanted to do a card that wasn't Halloween but was still fall looking. The large flower from the Fabulous Flowers stamp set was rocked and rolled, first I inked the flower up in Pumpkin Pie and then rolled just the edges in Ruby Red. The flower was stamped twice and the center was cut from one and three brads were added. The Old Olive panel was stamped using the Stitched back ground and the Pumpkin Pie piece was stamped with the Canvas back ground. I used both the large and small square punches for the saying with the designer label punch in between.

Supplies: Fabulous Flowers, Best Yet, Stitched BG, Canvas BG, Ribbon, Brads, Nestabilities, Square punches, Designer label punch, Piercer w/mat. Colors: Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Ruby Red, Whisper White.

How Sweet!

This fun blog award was given to me by my bloggin' friend Charly and it was very sweet of her to pass it on to me! What a cute award! Stop by Charly's blog and check out her creations, she's got some wonderful cards and projects! Thanks Charly.

I'd like to pass this on to all of the people who visit my blog and leave me such sweet comments, so consider yourself nominated along with these ladies.

Deb ~ Sharing My Obsession
Dawn ~ Dawn's Special Creations
Danni ~ Danni's Dreams
Dani ~ Dani Gets Crafty
Jena ~ Live, Love, Laugh, Scrapbook

Batty Kit Kats

I made these wrapped Kit Kat bars that I've seen everywhere and had them at each spot for my stamp camp this last Wednesday. To make one all you have to do is take a piece of 6"x6" designer paper and add tacky tape around all the edges and wrap, then crimp the ends using your crimper and decorate. Now that I've made these I see on Splitcoast that someone has come up with a Kit Kat holder that opens and closes, oh sure now they come up with it, lol! Check out Angie's blog Chic n' Scratch for the tutorial on how to make some fun Kit Kat holders and see all of her awesome projects!

Supplies: Kit Kat bars, Ghostly Greetings designer paper, Batty for You, Crimper, Scalloped circle punch, Circle punches. Colors: Basic Black, Old Olive, Only Orange.

Halloween Treats

This Halloween gum holder is another project that we created at Stamp Camp last night. After purchasing larger packs of gum, I realized that the measurements I found online weren't going to work and since I was being the last minute lucy that I am, I made it work! Any time I'm trying out a new box, bag or unique fold I always use scraps of computer paper to create it and then once I can get it work and I like it, I write the measurements on my template and store it in an accordion file so if I need to refer back to it later I have it. This gum holder measures 2 3/4"x9 1/2", starting at one end I scored at 2 3/4", then at 3 1/4" then turn your paper around and score the other end at 2 3/8", then 3", at this end you will need to punch an opening for your gum, I used the word window punch and punched one full punch then lining up with the first punch I punch again but this time I only punched a quarter of the punch. I hope this makes sense, I'm not very good at tutorials and I think I'm making this sound more complicated then it really is. If you have any questions just email me.

Supplies: Batty for You, See You Around wheel, The Happy Halloween is from a retired SU set, Ghostly Greetings designer paper, Ribbon, Scalloped circle punch, Circle punches, Googlie eyes, Velcro, Tacky tape, Gum. Colors: Lovely Lilac, Only Orange, Basic Black, Whisper White.

Thanks for visiting!

Sneak Peek

Today is my husband's birthday, so before I get typing about these projects I wanted to wish him happy birthday again and to tell him how much I love him {{Mwah}} love you honey!

Onto the the projects.....usually I don't post my stamp camp projects until after I've had my camp, but today I thought what the hay, why not!

On the Halloween card I used one of Michelle's sketches that I used before on this Stella card, its a great sketch and I can see using it again. I stamped the You Make Me Smile once in Basic Black and then again in Only Orange, then cut out the orange pumpkin and popped him up. I thought he looked cute with the grinning pumpkins on the Ghostly Greetings designer paper (DH told me my paper was upside down until I told him that the pumpkins run both ways), the strips of designer paper are 1 3/4"x 3 1/4" then matted in black.

This fun little candy tote was easy to make with the directions I found on Jody's blog, the only thing I changed were the measurements to make mine wider to accommodate my image that and I made mine Halloween. When I cut my sheet of card stock I cut mine 6"x11" and then scored and cut the same as Jody's directions. Get ready to be inspired, because her blog is fabulous!

Supplies: Eat Drink & Be Scary, All Holidays, Ghostly Greetings designer paper, Nestabilities, Large and small tag punches, Word Window punch, Star punch, Ribbon, Brad, Tacky Tape, Piercer w/mat, Pop dots. Colors: Only Orange, Basic Black, Old Olive, Whisper White.

Tag I'm It!

I've been tagged by Laura from Tinx Magic and I thought I would give it a go!
Here are the rules:

1. Link your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Here are my seven facts about myself:
1. I can't stand the question that I hear every day "What are we having for dinner". I'm not really into cooking, I do it because I know that we all need to eat, but I find it very unrewarding. All of the grocery shopping, loading in and out, putting it all away and then coming up with something that everyone will eat only to cook it and have to clean it all up, yeah right not my idea of fun!
2. I think I'm a little OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), it bothers me if things aren't lined up or somethings off or not right. I will tear a whole card apart after everything is taped down if I thing somethings off. Once I went into a doctors office and was waiting in the seating area and as soon as no one was looking I had to straighten all of the magazines on the table and pick up. I know now you really think I'm crazy!
3. I sold one of our cats at a garage sale, yes maybe this makes me a horrible person but he obviously wasn't happy here, he kept peeing on everything, lol!
4. My favorite flowers are roses and sunflowers.
5. It takes me forever to create a card or scrapbook layout (even an easy one) you can ask any of my friends that stamp or scrap with me, I think its almost painful for them to watch me work, I can see it in their eyes.
6. I'd love to create my own line of rubber stamps if I'd ever put my mind to it. I used to draw or paint everyday years ago and now stamping is my creative outlet.
7. I hate the fact that a month from this coming Wednesday I will be turning the big 40! yuck!

Now seven random bloggers I've chosen:
Dawn ~ Dawn's Special Creations
Tina ~ Wooded Views
Charly ~ Charly's Crazy Corner
Dani ~ Dani Gets Crafty
Laurel ~ Want2Scrap
Kelly ~ Crafting Creatively
Stephanie ~ Stephanie's Stampin' Spot

To all of the ladies I've passed this tag onto, please don't feel obligated to play but it would be fun to get to know more about you.
Thanks

TECC#34 - Hello

This card is for Taylored Expressions Cupcake Challenge#34 and instead of using a cupcake stamp set I used a Stampendous stamp called Oliva Sunflower. I turned the sketch because I thought it worked better for my card to have it be horizontal. When ever I look at this stamp I think of fall, maybe because of the sunflower which is one of my favorite flowers and usually comes into full bloom at the beginning of fall.

Supplies: Oliva Sunflower - Stampendous, Fundamental Phrases - SU, Old designer paper from my stash, Cuttlebug embossing folder, Ribbon, Word Window punch, Brad, Copics, Nesties, Piercer w/mat. Colors: Chocolate Chip, More Mustard.

I'm excited for this coming week to have some new fall TV shows starting, not that I watch a ton of TV, but it will be nice to have something new on!

Hope your having a great weekend!

SFYTT - For My Friend

This card is for Jen's Sketch for You to Try Challenge, as soon as I saw this sketch I envisioned this card. This card is also for someone special to me, and I wasn't ever going to write about this because I feel its personal, but I'm a card angel through Chemo Angels and have been for the past several months. I'm not writing this on here so that everyone can say what a swell person I am, I'm writing this to encourage other people to get involved, visit the Chemo Angels site and help to make someones day who really needs it the most. The woman I was assigned to is very special to me, I consider her my friend, my buddy, my card muse and I know she enjoys receiving the cards and gifts I send her almost as much as I enjoy making them for her.

Supplies: Causabella - Stamping Bella, Best Yet - SU, It Takes Two Breast Cancer designer paper, Cuttlebug embossing, Ribbon, SU corner ticket punch, Copics, Spica glitter pen, Prima flowers, Nestabilities, Baubles, Sewing, Gems, Small pearl (for flower on her dress), Pop dots.

This picture in the sun light makes me think of a frilly little girls dress.

A Tree for All Seasons

Today's card started out as something different, I had colored and cut this image and was going to use it for a sketch challenge from this last weekend and then changed my mind. I wanted to do something that opened differently than a regular card for this, so I cut the Really Rust card stock length wise 4"x8" and scored one end at 2 3/4" and folded it in. Then cut the More Mustard piece 4 1/4"x 2 1/2" and scored 1/4" on one end and hinged it using brads after I stamped it with the canvas background. I should have taken a picture with the card open, but its late and I'm tired and I'm sure you get the gist of how this works. The More Mustard piece gets tucked under the ribbon to close the card.

Supplies: A Tree for all Seasons, Canvas BG, Warmest Regards, Ribbon, Brads, Nesties, Copics, K&Comp designer paper. Colors: Chocolate Chip, Really Rust, More Mustard.
Thanks for stopping by!

TECC33 - Haunting Halloween

Two posts in one day, wow! The rainy weekend were having is a great weekend to stay inside and do some stamping. This card is for Taylor's Cupcake Challenge #33, I decided to make it a Halloween card although if I had Taylor's new adorable Trick or Sweet stamp set I would have made it into a Cupcake Halloween card! Have you seen Taylor's new line of cute cupcake stamps? stop by Taylored Expressions and take a peek!

Supplies: Haunting Halloween, Reminisce Spooktacular designer paper, Coluzzle, Ribbon, Brads, Piercer w/mat, Copic markers, Yellow glitter, Pop dots. Colors: Elegant Eggplant, Old Olive, Only Orange, Whisper White.

WSC57 - Give Thanks

Today's card is for Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge #57, its been a while since I've jumped in and participated in one of her sketch challenges and I have to say after making this card using the sketch, I've missed it! I used the retired stamp set Give Thanks for this card, I really love this set and wish it wasn't retired. Its difficult to see from the picture, but the back ground Real Red panel was stamped with the Canvas bg stamp in Versa Mark.

Supplies: Give Thanks, Canvas BG, Summer Picnic designer paper, Ribbon, Brads, Copic markers, Piercer w/mat, Pop dots. Colors: Old Olive, Real Red, More Mustard, Whisper White.

PS, I've added a section along my sidebar of some of the challenges that I enjoy participating in from time to time. These are just a few and I know that there are hundreds more, but these challenges are my favorites and have helped me when I've needed a starting point when it comes to creating a card. So if your mojo is running low, why not give one of these challenges a try!

And the Winner IS.......

Skipping Ahead and Whining

Today is a rainy gloomy day here in Michigan, I haven't posted anything over the past few days because I've been busy finishing up my fifteen swaps for the Great Girls swap and working on birthday cards for this month, that and this week was totally crazy with my family life. I really felt like I should have slapped on some checked strips down the side of my mini van and wore a cabby's hat. In this week alone I drove to the dentist, the doctors, two dance classes, the orthodontist, the grocery store, the hair salon, the post office and a hundred other places in between, Aaaa the life of a busy mother with three kids! After finishing up my swaps and a few b-day cards I wanted to work on something fun and this last week I found a pretty Stampendous stamp set with angels and I couldn't wait to play with it, so this is what I made. I'll be back to posting fall and Halloween cards but for today its Christmas!

Its difficult to see from the picture but the angel was stamped three times with her body and the earth cut out separately and pop dotted, that and three red gems were added to her dress along with dazzling diamonds for her wings.

Have a great weekend and don't forget about the blog candy below!

Fall Candy for a Friend

Fall Flair Set

This card and frame set that I made for a friend was inspired by the candle holder you see in the picture that I'm including in with her gift. The picture frame was rather simple to decorate because its made out of canvas, all I did was stamp the Weathered background stamp twice in Close to Cocoa, then stamped the leaf and flower using an SU Pumpkin Patch spectrum ink pad, then sponged all of the edges with the Cocoa and Chocolate Chip, I added ribbon and hardware and I was done. The back ground of the card was done the same as the frame, but then I used my Big Shot and a Cuttlebug embossing folder for the bottom portion and cut and embossed the tree using my circle Nestabilities die.

Supplies: Fall Flair, Lovely as a Tree, Weathered BG, Fundamental Phrases, Ribbon, Hardware, Brads, Embossing folder, Nestabilities, Tacky Tape, Pop dots. Colors: Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke, Really Rust, Naturals Ivory.

Mini Inspiration Station

This is my mini inspiration station for Fall and Halloween and I can see why Michelle likes doing this. I was surprised after looking around in drawers and containers how much fall and Halloween supplies I really do have and it was fun compiling it into one area. Looking at the picture, it doesn't look like much but in this basket are most of my fall/Halloween stamps (other than a few I working with right now), ribbon, linen thread, fibers, dew drops, stickles, glitter, gold cord, magic mesh, a fall spectrum ink pad and two SU fall wheels, oh yeah and one Autumn Wreath Yankee candle just so my mom cave can smell like fall.

Thanks for the idea Michelle!

Trick-or-Treat Goodies

Well its happened, I'm now officially in fall mode, usually I start getting the itch for fall and Halloween around the middle of July because fall has always been my favorite season out of the year. To start off the my stash of Halloween goodies, I made these two cards with matching candy bar holders. Be prepared to see plenty of fall and Halloween cards and projects because I've pulled out all of the fall/Halloween stamp sets and papers that I have and I've compiled a them into a inspiration station (pictures to follow). I'm taking my cue from Michelle Wooderson and how she compiles and creates a inspiration station for different seasons and holidays, its such a great idea!

Supplies: Tasty Sweet, Batty for You, Holiday Blitz, Ribbon, Brads, Circle punches, Scalloped circle punch, Word Window punch, Pop dots, googlie eyes, Paper crimper. Colors: Basic Black, Summer Sun, Lavender Lace, Only Orange, Green Galore.

Miss You!

I've missed creating Bella cards because I've been enjoying playing with my new Stampin' Up stuff, but the other night I knew I wanted to make this Bella card for a friend I haven't seen in a while. If you don't own any Bellas, Stellas or Fellas your missing out, these stamps have such character and are so much fun to color and create a card with!

If anyone is interested in my process of making a Bella card:
After deciding on which Bella I'm going to make a card with, I usually pick out designer paper and matching card stock, then I choose the Copic markers (from my color chart) in various shades that match the papers I'm going to use. After I color and trim down my Bella, I go to my computer were I have a big selection of card sketches saved from various sites and pick the best sketch that I think would work for the shape/size Bella I'm working with. I usually always use ribbon, pop dot the main image for dimension, add either brads, baubles or flowers and a touch of glitter with either a Spica glitter pen, dry glitter or Stickles. This is just how I create a Bella card, I'm not claiming to be an expert and the way I do it is probably how most people create a card, I just thought I'd pass this info along.

Supplies: Billboardabella, Paper Patch designer paper, Ribbon, Copics, Naked buttons, SU scalloped edge punch, Spica glitter pen, Pop dots. Colors: Cool Caribbean, Tempting Turquoise, Cameo Coral, Whisper White. I really like this color combo, I think I'll have to try it again.
Thanks

Yellow Daisies

This is a card that I made for a friend of mine and I wanted it to be cheerful and bright, so I used bright sunny colors! I used the Upsy Daisy stamp set and stamped it in Summer Sun (my favorite yellow) then popped dotted the main image after punching a slot for the ribbon, then used the Sanded back ground stamp on the panel behind the daisies, added three brads and I was done.

Now that two of my kids are back at school, I've been cleaning like crazy the last two days. Its hard to keep the house really clean during the summer when all of them are home all day long, snacking, tracking in, leaving things laying around. Don't get me wrong, I did clean this summer, but its kind of like that old say - Cleaning with kids is like shoveling the snow while its still snowing, lol. Tuesday I felt so domestic, I vacuumed, dusted, changed sheets, did laundry, cleaned the kitchen, mopped the floors and baked two loafs of banana bread with Connors help. It was a good day! Even though this sounds like I'm complaining about my kids, the truth is that some day I'll miss all the mess, noise and things laying around when all of my kids are grown and move out of the house.