Another Snow Day and a card

Snow Days!

The kids have been home now for 3 straight days because of the snow/ice! Yesterday they got to venture out into it to dig us out. So of course mom had to go try out her new camera with a SNOW setting!! (don't ask me what it does, happen to find it when I was trying to change it from Sport setting! lol)

Close up of Allie.

Jorden loves the snow. Yes, she has two different gloves on.. couldn't find a pair anywhere that fit her but these two!

I love this one of Benjamin. Caught him just right after he had fallen in the snow.

Little one wants to ride her bike so much that she tried her hardest to get it to go in the snow. She ended up taking it over onto the neighbor's sidewalk as it was scrapped clean!

Oldest shoveling the drive to the road.

Benjamin so happy to be helping clean off the truck. Notice the neighbor's clean, clean sidewalk in the background!

A card!

So all that snow and kids home for three days BUT I did find time to stamp today even if it took me all day to do it!

Ways To Use It 203 was to use alcohol of some sort in our stamping. I used Prismacolor Markers as I don't own Copics. Colored the soup image from Bunny Slippers by MFT. Even added some Shimmerz to the bowl, soup and steam. I have a hard time leaving a white background so I had to distress it with distress inks in shades of pinks. Used my Stampin' Up deckle scissors on the black.

Like the striped design paper? Guess what? It's actually digital paper!! Yup. Just download it after buying it and print it out yourself! Never run out of design paper. This is Stephanie Fizer's Spring Collection by MFT. Mine is printed on a semi gloss printer paper as I had hubby print it at work and forgot to send some cardstock with him!

Layout is for the MFTsketch66 today that is hosted by Frances and Cindy. Where I have the ribbon at the top of my image is suppose to be an embellishment.. I think it works!

stamp: bunny slippers - mft; paper: black, pink, green, white, digital paper from mft; ink: black, distress inks; accs: prismacolor markers, deckle scissors, paper piecer, ribbon, shimmerz, cuttlebug

I've been working on something none stampin' related that I will be posting in the next day or two. Just another one of my many crafts I have going on! :)

Treehouse Orders

Just a quick note. If you have ordered anything from Treehouse recenly, It could be a little while before you get your items. Ashley has no power do to the weather and the next few days don't look too good either. Just wanted to let you know incase you are waiting on a package from her or wishing to place an order.

Thanks!

Another valentine card with a tutorial

For the limited supply 204 we were suppose to use black cardstock as our main card. I had found a card in my stash a while back that I decided to case for today. And then I got a crazy idea that I would make it into a tutorial too! So here is my card:
stamp: Framed Friends by Asela Hopkins by Gina K Designs; paper: real red, black, white, shimmer; ink: black stazon, versamark; accs: helmar liquid scrap dots, brads, prismacolor pencils, gold embossing powder, crystal effects

Score a 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 piece of cardstock at 6 inches and 2 inches. Fold both sides in at the crease marks. Your shorter folded side will be the top.

Cut all four corners at a diagonal. I am cutting the bottom flap here. I just eyeballed it so you can cut off as much as you want or as little as you want. Depends on the look you are going for and how big your image is.

This is what it will look like after you have cut your corners. I placed a white top note cardstock inside so you can see the cuts better. (The ruler is just keeping it shut instead of my fingers! lol) Now decorate the front as you would like. I used the small heart from the Framed Friends by Aesla Hopkins by Gina K Designs on my black but did it in versamark so it is hard to see.

The closure can be any shape you wish. I went with a square as it fit my image. The image is colored with Prismacolor pencils. There is crystal effects on his nose and on the heart on his tag. As you can see, the dog and trees are popped up. I used Helmar Liquid Scrap Dots for that. (Don't forget the Helmar blog candy is still going on) I didn't attach it to the black with the brads as I don't like to see brads on the inside of my card so I used double sided tape.

close up of the Helmar Liquid Scrap Dots

I put a piece of real red cardstock for the inside my card. (don't know why it looks blurry, try clicking on it to bring it to bigger size) The sentiment says "Will you be mine?" At the bottom it is "XOXOXOXO" and then i stamped the heart twice on either side in versamark and embossed in gold.

Finished card.

Happy Valentine's Day

You know me... the queen of combining challenges! lol For this card I combined the color challenge, featured stamper and the dirty dozen alumni challenge! Also this card is for part of an order I need to fulfill.

The color challenge was regal rose, bravo burgundy and kiwi kiss or old olive. The dirty dozen alumni challenge this month was to make a lovey-dovey Valentine card without any red and using textures of some kind and trying to use different non-Valentine colors. (pink was allowed)

I need a masculine valentine card for part of the order I received so I pulled out Dr.Pea-nut by Our Craft Lounge. Yes, I said Dr.Pea-nut! In the set is also valentine items to use with him/her. I stamped her on white and watercolored her by using watercolor crayons. I started with Regal Rose first and then highlighted with Bravo Burgundy.

After completing the background scenery, I attached her with glue dots and dimensions. The dimensions are under her trunk and left ear as I cut them apart from her body. The box of candy is attached to her trunk with a glue dot. I applied crystal effects to her eyelids and toenails. The sentiment is actually one whole line but I cut it apart so I could use it within the hardware.

On the old olive, I stamped Linen in old olive and then I scored it into diamond shaped pattern. I used my fiskar cutter with the score blade as I'm not one of those lucky people to own a Score Pal. :( Added Hodgepodge hardware to complete the card.

stamp: dr.pea-nut by our craft lounge, linen; paper: bravo burgundy, old olive, brown, white; ink: black stazon, bashful blue, old olive; accs: watercolor crayons, dimensionals, crystal effects, hodgepodge, fiskar score blade

You can see what the rest of the Dirty Dozen and Dirty Dozen Alumni did for this challenge by clicking here.

Today is also the start of another MFT Hop around the Block as a new BC Dyzn set is introduced along with a saying for another set. I'm not a part of the BC Dyzn DT but wanted to share the hop so you don't miss out on these fabulous creations and to find out what the sentiment set is and who it goes with. :) The Hop start's at Kim's blog so go visit her now! As always, there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow! :)

2 Cards in one post!

eSorry I haven't been around for awhile. Kids have been home since Thursday!!! Snow days on both Thursday and Friday and then today is Martin Luther King day. Kids are happy for the 5 day weekend but mom is ready for them to go back to school so she can stamp!! Well I can stamp but it takes me all day to make a card since the little munchkins think they need to eat all day long and only mom can fix their food!

So here are a few cards that I got to make at the end of last week but didn't get a chance to post.

Limited Supply 203 was to make a non-cheesy Valentine that you could replicate 30 times if needed for your kids valentines, limited layers/embellishments, limit hand cutting. With using ONLY Kraft, black, red, pink and white as the colors! It didn't have to be a kid image but that's what I went with.

I used this sweet Dragon Flower image that I got from through Treehouse Stamps (Yes, Ashley now sells other products besides Treehouse images! If you haven't been there lately, I urge you to go check her out.) I also used my new (72) Prismacolor Pencils that I had won off of ebay.

I stamped him on Kraft cardstock and then colored him in with different shades of pinks/reds. I didn't use anything to blend the colors but the pencils themselves this time. I made a faux layer of black around him by using a black marker on the Kraft cardstock. I just happen to have an extra piece of black that I had used in the nestablitie for another card that I didn't use so I used it here. The red piece was cuttlebuged with the heart folder (also found at Treehouse Stamps).

For the sentiment, I used JustRite's Brayton Font. I also combined this with the week's before Featured Stamper 100.... JulieHRR!! I cased this card of hers but changed a few things obviously.
stamp: Lelo-Dragon Flower - Treehouse Stamps, JustRite's Brayton Font; ink: black stazon; paper: real red, black, white, kraft; accs: ribbon, prismacolor pencils, white gel pen, heart cuttlebug folder

Card #2 PB Teen Inspired IC163

If you follow my blog faithfully, you will notice I don't usually do the Inspiration that is held on Saturday's on SCS. For some reason I just can't wrap my brain around the inspiration pieces but am vowing to try them once in a while.

During the week sometime my oldest sent me a link to PB Teen stating which bedroom sets, etc she would like (keep dreaming kid!). I thought the site would make a great Inspiration so I sent it on to Stef. Imagine my surprise when she pm'd me back and said that it was the same link that she had been looking at and thought it would make a great inspiration and was planning on using it this past weekend! Guess great minds think alike! lol

I went with this room for my inspiration as I had this fabulous pok-a-dotted dsp I knew I could use. I used "Live Life Passionately" from Treehouse Stamps as my main focal point. Stamped in black and then distressed with blue inks. Green ribbon ( the other set of sheets) added to give a little contrast and some blue buttons added with glue dots. My layout comes from Taylor's cupcake blog sketch.

stamp: live life passionately - Treehouse Stamps; ink: black stazon, blues; paper: black, white, Nana's kids dsp; accs: buttons, ribbon, glue dots

It's the 15th!!

Do you know what that means? If you are a Fan Club member of SCS you do!! It's time for another Dirty Dozen gallery.... on SCS that is. And two new Dirty girls!! woo hooo You don't want to miss seeing who it is this month. So run, don't walk over to SCS and check out the DD gallery. WHAT?? You aren't a Fan Club member? Well you are missing out on something exciting this month (and every month.). Want to be a Fan Club member? Then please check out this page to see how that can happen. Hope to see your comments on mine and everyone elses creations in the Dirty Dozen Gallery.

Here is a little taste of what you are missing. This month the theme was "Making a House a Home" what in our house inspired us and to use that for our focal point in our creations. Here is what inspired me:
no, i didn't make this. someone else did as our wedding gift, 15 yrs ago.

And here is what I did:

Snow and New Camera!!

Seems like ages since I have made a blog post! Been busy with projects/deadlines.

I used some of my Christmas money to get a new digital camera as my other one had been dead for a while and I was using my parent's old one but wanted my own! And now.. I'm loving it!! I got a FujiFilm FinePix S1000fd 10MP 12X Zoom. The detail I can get with it is amazing! My cards are going to look awesome now!! LOL

Here are a few shots that I took just playing around.

I am sitting in the other room on the couch, zoomed in on Allie taking the shot through the doorway! (forgot to have the red eye reduction on if you can't tell! lol)

I forgot to put the flash up nor did I have the Macro set. Saying all that.. I LOVE how this picture turned out.

Camera is set on natural lighing/macro here. Jorden is so photogentic.. doesn't get it from me! lol

So what about SNOW?? We are finally getting some! Kids were even sent home 2 hrs early today so you know it must be bad out. I decided to try taking pictures sitting here at the table through our big window. These are the results. (note: there is plastic on the window on the inside!)

Close up of neighbor's pine tree.

I love this picture of Jorden watching it snow. I didn't have it set on natural light as I was trying to capture more of the snow outside not what was inside the house.

Don't forget to check back tomorrow as I just might have a sneak peek for you.......

Helmar Blog Candy

So how many of you have been jealous when I talk about using Helmar products? Well don't be jealous any longer!!

Helmar Australia is coming to America! In celebration of our new expansion into the United States, CHA Winter in Anaheim, our new USA Design Team and our new BLOG we want to get our adhesives in your hot little hands. So spread the news and let us know how excited you are. And in turn look what will land on your doorstep... at what you could win: We will randomly draw a name on January 31st. No wait!.....Let's pick TWO names and send out TWO boxes of adhesives! So what's the catch you ask? To read all the details on how to be entered you need to visit the Helmar Blog. DO NOT LEAVE A COMMENT HERE AND EXPECT TO BE ENTERED INTO THE DRAWING. You have to ENTER AT THE HELMAR BLOG.

Blog Hop - My Knight in Shining Armor

Welcome to another MFT Release Blog Hop. Kim of MFT is starting out the blog hop so if you didn't come from her blog, head on over there, you don't want to miss out on starting from the beginning.

I decided to use the set "Good Knight". I used all but four of the sayings in the set on just this card! I did cut apart one of the sayings so that I could use just the word "My" with "Hero".

Castle and Knight are embossed in sliver embossing powder. Shield, draw bridge and flags are all paper pieced, held down with Helmar Acid Free glue. I layered the castle a few tims so it uses Helmar Liquid Scrap Dots for dimension. The knight also uses Helmar Liquid Scrap Dots. The dragon was watercolored with distress reinkers. All the squares were distressed with distress inks. All the squares and background use Helmar's Quick Fix Runner adhesive. Layout is sketch challenge 182.

stamps: Good Knight - MFT; paper: black, saraha sand, dsp, silver; ink: black, versamark; accs: helmar liquid scrap dots, helmar acid free glue, helmar quick fix runner, silver embossing powder

Now head on over to Amy's blog to see her fabulous creation. Enjoy the hop!

My Favorite Things (http://www.mftstamps.com/) is having a New Release Cocktail Party on Wednesday, January 7th from 9-10 p.m. Eastern time. This month there are FOUR new sets being released including a Who's that Girl set that is Maid for You!

Head over to the MFT forum on http://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.

Whooo loves you baby?

My Favorite Things is having their release this coming Wend evening. Here is a sneak peek I made yesterday but didn't get a chance to upload it. (Busy with some other deadlines ;) ) Don't forget to check out the other MFT design team members (yes, I know, i don't have them listed under the MFT button on the side... that is one of my goals to do this month!) you can also find sneaks on Splitcoaststampers in the gallery by typing in the keywords MFTJAN09.

The 'try new technique202' was to use glitter with tacky tape. I went with only two colors of glitter and made stripes on my creamy caramel cardstock. I stamped the sentiment in bewteen the glitter to finish off my 'design' paper. The owls are watercolored with distress inks and have stickles on their dots and flower. Each image is distressed around the edges and is popped up with Helmar Liquid Scrap Dots. Crystal sitckers from Mark Richards are in the corners of the card. This card is VERY glitterie!! lol

stamp: owl for all season - mft; paper: pink, chocolate, kraft, dsp, creamy caramel: ink: black stazon, brown; accs: glitter, tacky tape, distress reinkers, watercolor brushes, stickles

My Favorite Things (www.mftstamps.com) is having a New Release Cocktail Party on Wednesday, January 7th from 9-10 p.m. Eastern time. This month there are FOUR new sets being released including a Who's that Girl set that is Maid for You!

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.

Very little is needed to make a happy life

Okay, maybe lots is needed to make a happy life but for Tom Allen's Friendly Kritters, They don't need a lot! I used Tom Allen's Friends Don't Mind for the sketch 209 which i combined with the ways to use it 199 (use silver).

I also used all Helmar Adhesives on my card too. Of course I used two of my favorite Helmar Adhesives; Liquid Scrap Dots and V2 Vellum Adhesive. I used Helmar's Quick Fix Adhesive Runner to tape all the other pieces of the cards down.

Image is colored with Prismacolor Markers. Cloud stencil was used for the sky. White gel pen was used on the skunk to highlight the white. Used a black marker around the image to give the look of being layered on black cardstock. Helmar Liquid Scrap Dots were used to hold the image down. See picture below to see a close up of the liquid scrap dots.

The V2 Vellum Adhesive (it's a spray) was used on the vellum sentiment that came from ScrapEssentials Emotions. The dsp is from the only value pack I have... ready for it?? DCWV The CHRISTMAS Stack!! Yup, I used Christmas design paper on the card. You never would have known, would you? Silver brads added to the corner for the Silver in the Ways to Use challenge. Notched the edges of the very last pink layer.

stamp: Tom Allen's Friends Don't Mind - CHF; paper: misc green/pink, DCWV The Christmas Stack; ink: Black Stazon; accs: prismacolor markers, brads, cloud stencil, helmar v2 vellum adhesive, liquid scrap dots & quick fix runner adhesive

close up of the Liquid Scrap Dots. (Did you know that you should be able to click on the picture to pull it up?)

New Year's Eve party

Happy New Year!!! Hope 2009 brings you good health, happiness and lots more stamps!

Every year the library holds a New Year's Eve party for the kids. They count down to noon because you know not all kids can/get to stay up until midnight. This year the party was actually held on the 30th as the library was not open on New Year's Eve.

A story is read about New Years or customs or traditions. Some dancing, always the chicken dance! A craft is made such as a noise maker or a hat. This year it was a hat. And then there is the snacks. Finally it is time to count down to noon and pop balloons that have been filled with confetti! (and you thought the library was a boring place!)

Bev telling the kids about other countries New Year's traditions.

Benjamin and Jorden doing the Chicken dance.

Jorden and Benjamin doing the "Freeze" Dance. (incase you are wondering, the oldest two were at friend's house or they would have been right up there dancing too.)

The description of the snack mix that was part of the snack the kids could have.

Daddy helping Jorden popping the balloon. Have no idea what is up with Benjamin, caught him with a funny expression as he is not crying!

Jorden covered in confetti, she had peanut butter on her face from the snack. The pink confetti stuck to it for the longest time. Her hat is the craft the kids made.

The library always has this train display up every year for Christmas time. The kids love to watch the train go around.