MFTeasers Haunted Trail and Extra

Yes, it is that time again.... MFTeasers!! MFT will be releasing some new fun sets Wend night during their release party in the MFT forum. Come join the fun! To see teasers of the sets that MFT will be releasing that night, check out the MFTSEPT08 gallery every day for uploads from the MFT Design Team.

I used "Who's that Ghost?" Flopsey. Embossed him in black and colored in just the ears with distress inks. Applied Crystal Effect over his 'costume'. Embossed the bag in black too and completely cut it out and looped it over Flopsey's arm. Watercolored with Garden Green. The word "BOO" is stamped with craft white ink and then Black over top to give a shadow effect. Bird in the grass cuttlebug folder used in the background. Used a dauber with ink over just the bugg'd part. Added faux stitching around the edges. Black rhinestones under the sentiment. stamp: Who's that Ghost? -MFT; paper: orange, black, white; ink: black, garden green; accs: crystal effects, cuttlebug, ribbon, artist pen, rhinestones


Today's TLC is Black Magic which I combined with the Featured Stamper.

Black Magic or Pencil Over Ink: You stamp your image in white ink (I used Craft White Ink). Then color your image with pencils but not over the white ink! It was suggested to dip your Prismacolor pencils into Odorless Mineral and then color your image but I found it easier to just color straight onto my image as i didn't see the Odorless Mineral doing anything to help my card. IF you don't use the minerals, then you can use any kind of colored pencils to color. (if you want to try this with the minerals and don't have any, baby oil also works)

I used another new image coming from MFT. Annie LaPoint is back this month with 2 more images! I cased this card of the Featured Stamper but changed colors, image, added an extra ribbon, some faux stitching and left off the sentiment.

stamp: Chill Out -MFT; paper: not quite navy, real red, black; ink: craft white; accs: white gel pen, prismacolor pencils, ribbon, photo corner punch, notched punch, cuttlebug

Saying Goodbye

to some stamps... not to the blogging world!! lol

Kim over at MFT is running out of room and has decided to retire some sets. The following sets are now on limited edition status and are going to be retired as they sell out. Until they sell out, you can enjoy a special discounted price, already listed on the site, for each of these sets. The discount is almost 30% off retail (and wholesale gets a discount too, just email Kim for deets).

Let's say goodbye to:
Baby First, Build a Bouquet, Bundles of Bouquets, Farm Friends, Hare for the Holidays, Hearts Galore, She's Having a Baby, My Favorite 48 pencil collection

Today's Ways to Use it was to pull out our pencils. I pulled out 3 different kinds of pencils! SU's Art Metallic pencils, SU's Pure color Pencils, Prismacolor Verithin pencils. I also pulled out my odorless minerals for blending. Using the MFTsketch (which has now been moved to being posted on Thursdays) for this week, I went to work.

I had gotten this card from Lacyquilter/Melody a while back and just loved the layout. Wanted to case it but had gotten rid of the stamp set that was used and just couldn't think of what set I had that would work. DUH!! Today when I pulled out Bundles of Bouquets, it hit me! DUH!! So I stamped the 3 little flowers four times and colored them in. A few of them are popped up and some have Gold stickles in the middle. The butterfly was stamped and then stamped again and popped up. I put Black Diamond stickles in the middle for the body. Hodgepodge and a cuttlebugged background take care of finishing off the card.

stamp: Bundles of Bouquets; paper: black, lavender lace, tempting turquoise, white; ink: black; accs: hodgepodge, SU's art metallic pencils, SU's pure color pencils, Prismacolor Verithin pencils, ribbon, cuttlebug, artist pen, odorless minerals

Catching up again.

I just realized that there are some cards I made while I was sick that I didn't have the energy to post here! Enjoy.

Try new Technique 182: Acetate boxes. I made a Teacher Survival Kit for son's Kindergarten teacher. I used the Kim's Korner for Teacher Talk for the ideas inside the box.
stamp: It's Academic; paper: acetate, scrapbook kit papers; ink: black; accs: marker, stickers, ribbon

MFTSC44 of the week.

Stamps: Meet Me at the Cafe, It's Elemental - MFT ; Paper: pale plum, mellow moss, perfect plum, black, vanilla, dp ; Ink: black, pale plum, perfect plum, mellow moss, bashful blue, ruby red, creamy caramel, blush blossom ; accs: Flower patch suede flowers, glitter gel pen, nestibilities, cuttlebug

WT179: Copics or Faux copic (SU markers with aquapainter). I did the Faux copic. Sketch is from Julee's Anni-VERVE-sary sketches, this is sketch #12.
stamp: Happy Fall Ya'll - Treehouse Stamps, SU's Flannel Plaid; ink: black; paper: red, watercolor, wild wasabi; accs: brads, circle punch, aquapainter, markers

Another WT179 but on this one I used Prisma color Markers which was also allowed. Another Anni-VERVE-sary sketch, this is sketch #3.
stamp: Jolliest Time of the Year; paper: black, white, red; ink: black; accs: prismacolor markers, ribbon, hodgepodge, white gel pen, scallop square punch, corner round punch

Sketch Challenge 189. Thomas Kinkade stamp from Cornish Heritage Farms (CHF). Combined the color challenge 179 of old olive, elegant eggplant, taken with teal. Watercolored image and then embossed with Iridescent Ice to give a sparkle.
Stamps: TK- Village Christmas, We Wish you.... - CHF ; Paper: Elegant Eggplant, Old Olive, Vanilla, Black; Ink: Versamark, Elegant Eggplant, Old Olive, Taken With Teal, Barely Banana, Black ; accs: Iridescent Ice embossing powder, aquapainter, eggplant marker,artist pen

Inspiration challenge 140. I went with the colors for my inspiration. This is sketch #9 from Julee's Anni-VERVE-sary sketches. Totally Witchin' from MFT dressed up for Christmas. Liquid Applique turns the witch hat into a 'santa' hat. Dresses and boots are paper pieced.
stamps: Totally Witchin' - MFT ; Paper: Black, white, DCWV The Christmas Stack ; Ink: black; Accs: christmas tree eyelets, markers, liquid applique

Benjamin started Kindergarten today!

Today I sent off my third child to Kindergarten. Doesn't he look excited? LOL

His little sister, Jorden, is his best buddy at home so I was a little worried about her crying etc when he left. But she was really good and kept telling him not to worry. What not to worry about I'm not sure!

Waiting for the bus. All decked out in Transformers! (shoes and backpack are Transformers too!)

Crossing the road to the bus with big sister, Allie, in the lead. The little boy behind is our next door neighbor who also started Kindergarten. They don't have the same teacher though.

Home again! Since I didn't walk with him to get a picture of him getting on the bus (didn't want little sis to start crying etc), I got a picture of him getting off the bus. As soon as he was on the sidewalk, Jorden ran and gave him a big hug and of course I had turned off the camera already!

Back to stamping!

Thanks for all the get well wishes. I am feeling tons better. Still a blow here or there but that's fine with me, at least now I can breathe! :)

I managed to whip out a card this morning as I am now down to just one child!! Benjamin started Kindergarten today! woohoo Yes, I have pictures but that will be a separate post.

I combined 3 challenges today into one card. The Featured Stamper, Try new Technique and Sharon's (NoTimeToStamp) blog challenge. For the Featured Stamper, I cased this card. I changed colors, stamp set and used the Try new Technique instead.

The Try New Technique was to do Faux Dry Embossing. I've done this before and it is loads of fun. First you stamp your image in white ink ( I used SU's white craft), stamp on your paper. Using a stamp-a-ma-jig, position it to the side just a little of the white image

and stamp the same image in the same color as your cardstock.

I really like how this turned out. Think I will do more of them to have on hand for whenever i might need one as Sympathy cards are hard to do at the time you need them the most.

stamp: Close as a Memory; paper: Lavendar lace, Orchid Opulence, Black; ink: Lavendar Lace, Orchid Opulence, Craft White; Accs: brads, stamp-a-ma-jig

Still not...

100% yet. This cold seems to be lingering. I did manage to stamp last week but had no strength afterwards to upload, that's how bad this cold has been. School started today so I was able to stamp early this morning for the sketch challenge and combine it with Ashley's Brainwave challenge. But I had things to do outside of the house this morning so am now only getting the chance to uploading the card. (will upload last weeks cards later on)

Ashley's Brainwave challenge is a color challenge this week: Pretty in Pink, Chocolate Chip and Regal Rose. Wendybell's daughter came up with the sketch for this weeks Sketch challenge on SCS.

I used a set coming in early Sept from Treehouse. Stamped the coffee bean in Craft inks and embossed with clear embossing powder for a background. Hard to tell on the coffee cup but it is actually cutout and popped up, the "coffee" is still in the background so to speak as I only cutout the coffee cup. Regal Rose marker was used on the spots with some stickles added. The saucer is colored lightly in Pretty in Pink. White gel pen was used to do all the dots except on the main image circle.

stamp: Friends & Lattes- Treehouse Stamps; paper: regal rose, chocolate chip, pretty in pink, white; ink: chocolate chip, regal rose - Craft; accs: clear embossing powder, white gel pen, stickles, markers

Don't forget to check out the other Treehouse girls to see who participated in the challenge. If you participate, use keywords BWC19 on SCS so we can all see your card.

Sick

This is me for the past 3 days now. Hope to be back to stamping soon.

Champaign County Fair/Ohio State Fair pictures

The Champaign County Fair is officially over for the year! Which means 4-H is over for another year. The girls did really good this year. Carmen even made it to State Fair which is a first for her in non-livestock.

Allie (9) didn't win any ribbons but worked really hard at her sewing, scrapbooking and cooking and we couldn't be any prouder of her for her first "official" year in 4-H. (She was a cloverbud for 3 yrs but cloverbuds can't participate in any judged projects.)

Here is a few pictures of Allie modeling her outfit (she made the skirt and the tote bag) which is required when you take sewing.
Allie waiting her turn, trying not to look too nervous.
About ready to walk down the runway!
Whew! All done. (She moved to fast for me to get a picture of her on the runway.)

After Allie was done modeling, we walked the fair grounds. Not much was going on of course as it still before 10am! But the kids did find a few things to get their pictures taken with.

Jorden wasn't too sure about the goat trying to eat her stroller.

Jorden loved the horses but not when Chico decided to get real close to her. She is trying her best to get out of the stroller.
Benjamin was in heaven. What little (or big) boy wouldn't be. Think he had to sit in every single one.

Carmen made it to State Fair for her nutrition project (she was in Fast Break for Breakfast and had made a coffee cake). For State they don't have to cook and bring in their food like they have to at the county judging. This was more testing their knowledge on what they should have learned during the project. This is the first Carmen has made it to State Fair for a non-livestock project! We didn't stick around for the awards that were handed out later on in the day as Carmen wanted to get back to our fair (1 hr drive away) to groom her llama. BUT we did find out the next day that she had won the clock trophy for her category!!

I know, that doesn't mean a thing to you unless you have had kids go to State Fair. A clock trophy is given out to the top scorer of each category! Carmen is the first in our family (my sister and I both made it to State during our 4-H years) and the first in our 4-H group to have won this award! Since we didn't stay around for the awards, it will be sent to our county office and we'll pick it up, so you will have to wait a few days before you see a picture of it.

The only section where she got to talk to a 'judge' and then they spent the first few minutes talking about llamas not food! lol (Judge had asked what other projects she had carried this year.)

One of the tests she had to do.

Answering the Tie Breaker question on "how to keep food safe".

After judging we walked around the State Fair. I finally had some 'fair' food as I never had any at our local fair. So I had a Fried 3 Musketeers bar! After two bites, I was finished!

Hubby of course couldn't resist trying his hand at racing even if it was not his favorite driver or team. He even won 1st place and walked away with collectors race car that ds is having a blast playing with.

To see more pictures of the Champaign County Fair go here. Of course I have it coming up on Carmen's picture! The picture before hers, #4, is my brother, Jared.

Best Witchin' Friends

Lovin the sketch challenge (SC188) on SCS today. I happen to have an image already 'colored' so I went from there to make my card. Once again my card uses all the colors that will be retiring from SU so it then qualifies for yesterdays color challenge on SCS. :(

I used the Totally Witchin' set that is being released tonight at the MFT Cocktail Release Party. MFT sets are so much fun to paper piece that I decided to paper piece the entire image except for their arms and socks! I used SU's Afternoon Tea to give my 'witches' a totally different look.

See they really aren't witches at all but "Martha" and "Erma". "Martha" is the one with the broom as she is always cleaning and "Erma" has the hat because she likes to go outside and pull weeds once in a while.

Added cobwebs to the side pieces because as you know, cobwebs can be found inside and outside! A little faux stitching and some distressing of the sides with ink and my card is done. stamps: Totally Witchin' - MFT; paper; afternoon tea dp, groovy guava, soft sky, brown; ink: black; accs: white gel pen, blender pen, watercolor crayons



My Favorite Things (www.mftstamps.com) is having a New Release Cocktail Party on Wednesday, August 6 from 9-11 p.m. Eastern time. This month there are FIVE new sets being released and some great new ribbon added to the store. *The Girl Who Wants It All special for the The Aug Collection, which is one of each set being released, is $65. Head over to the MFT forum on www.splitcoaststampers.com to find out all the details and to find out how YOU can be the next MFT Guest Designer. We hope to see you there on Wednesday night.

Farewell Dinner

Today's Color Challenge was to use any or all of the SU '07-'08 In-Colors as they will no longer be avaible next week. :( I combined the Color Challenge with the Try New Technique and last weeks Ways to use it.

Try New Technique was to make a "Square Spring" card. You can find the directions here if you would like to try your hand at this fun fold of a card. Last weeks Ways to Use it was to use scraps.

I used a new set, Totally Witchin', that will be released during MFT's Cocktail party Wend night (August 6th) 9-11pm Eastern time. I used scraps to paper piece the 'bottles', small SU oval punch was used for rug and white gel pen was used on the 'smoke'. I stamped the web in white craft ink onto vellum cardstock and embossed it in clear embossing powder. The spiders are stamped in Wild Wasabi on vellum cardstock and embossed in clear embossing powder. The 'room' uses my scraps of Afternoon Tea paper from SU. Rhinestones from Kaiserscrapbook complete the room.

Here is my Farewell Dinner to SU's 07-08 In Colors. You will be missed!

stamps: Totally Witchin' - MFT; paper: wild wasabi, river rock, purely pomegranate, groovy guava, vellum cardstock, soft sky; ink: blue bayou, black, wild wasabi, white craft, purely pomegranate; accs: white gel pen, clear embossing powder, rhinestones, su small oval punch

My Favorite Things (www.mftstamps.com) is having a New Release Cocktail Party on Wednesday, August 6 from 9-11 p.m. Eastern time. This month there are FIVE new sets being released and some great new ribbon added to the store. *The Girl Who Wants It All special for the The Aug Collection, which is one of each set being released, is $65. Head over to the MFT forum on www.splitcoaststampers.com to find out all the details and to find out how YOU can be the next MFT Guest Designer. We hope to see you there on Wednesday night.

I Moose You!! (sneak peek)

It's that time again.. MFT releases this week!! Such cute sets too... wait.. they are always cute!! Each month I say that month is my favorite and then the next month, Kim comes out with sets that i say, no this month is my favorite! What about you? What sets are your favorite? While you decide, here is a sneak peek to wet your appetite and make you go hmmmmmmmmmmmmm maybe this month is my favorite! :)

Cindy H. always comes up with great sketches that are posted in the MFT forum on SCS. This week it suppose to be a circle but i changed it to a square. (don't worry, it's okay to change that little detail as long as the sketch is close to the original)

I used Nature Calls that is a really cute camping/outdoorsy set with animals, a pine tree, a tent and a hiker. A coordinating set,What's your Sign?, was also used on my card. I masked the moose and sponged in different shades of blues and pinks for my sky, green for my grass. I used watercolor crayons on the moose and blended with odorless minerals. Masked the moose again to add in the pine trees.

I cuttlebug'd the chocolate chip with the wood folder. For some reason I felt like doing some hand sewing and i HATE hand sewing!! So what do I do?? I hand stitched the ENTIRE card... well it felt like the entire card. Used Candle Wick yarn. All the sewing and colors feels rustic to me for some reason. I am seeing myself in a cabin watching the moose. ahhh That would be the life right now.

stamp: nature calls, what's your sign? - MFT; paper: chocolate chip, wild wasabi, white; ink: black, chocolate chip, distress inks blue, pinks, garden green; accs: hodgepodge, candle wick yarn, watercolor crayon, odorless minerals, cuttlebug

My Favorite Things (www.mftstamps.com) is having a New Release Cocktail Party on Wednesday, August 6 from 9-11 p.m. Eastern time.

This month there are FIVE new sets being released and some great new ribbon added to the store.

*The Girl Who Wants It All special for the The Aug Collection, which is one of each set being released, is $65.

Head over to the MFT forum on www.splitcoaststampers.com to find out all the details and to find out how YOU can be the next MFT Guest Designer. We hope to see you there on Wednesday night.

I do have pictures from our weekend at the fair. Sad to say that Allie didn't win anything for her sewing but that's okay. I will try to post them later on today.

I'm so bad!

Couple of cards that I forgot to post when i did them the beginning of this week! Bad, bad poster I am. 40 lashes with a wet noodle!!

Card for my friends who just had twins. A boy and a girl. Stamped an extra baby and cut it out to adhere to the stork's mouth. Layout is from the sketch challenge this week. This is also for the Ways to use it which was scraps. Stamps are from Treehouse.


MFT sketch for the week. Lots of cuttlebugging going on here. Even cuttlebug'd the bunny and his clothes. Entire image is paper pieced. Cloud stencil used in background. Image is from My Favorite Things.

Off to our county fair tomorrow as Allie, 9, has to model her 4-H outfit. (How I miss those days! Yes, I use to model every summer. Loved it but was always scared to death every time I got up there. I will so want to be hopping up there and strutting down the runway tomorrow!) Guess I had better put my camera in my bag now or I will forget it!! Hopefully I will get some good pictures of her to post.