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! :)

MFT Challenges and a shoe box

MFT's What's Up Wednesday challenge was to use "Window Shopping" and a box. I'm not really a box person so this was really a challenge for me. I used design paper for the bottom of my box that is 8 1/2 by 8 1/2, scored at 2 1/4 on all sides. The lid uses the the five in one card cover by SU. I stamped the shoe on different colored cardstocks and placed it around the scallop edges with faux stitching. The top is all paper pieced! Starting with the lady and her dress to the window that is vellum to the shoes underneath that are all cutout and attached to the blue background! And don't forget the River Rock box stands for the shoes to be on!

Close up of the lid.

Box and card.

This box will hold cards that are the 3 1/2x3 1/2. And here is the first one of the cards. I used MFT's sketch for today along with Ways to use it challenge of "Plaids". Once again the layout was way out my norm as it involved circles. I used SU's Flannel Plaid on the Bashful Blue and Close to Cocoa. Distressed the edges of the entire card and pieces with close to cocoa. Masked the shoe over and over on the big circl and added an extra circle with a pair of shoes in the middle. Rhinestones on the side finish off my card. The scallops were made with my mini scallop scissors.

New MFT Challenges

I'm happy to announce that I am one of the hostesses for Friday's challenge in the MFT forum. Joanne and my challenge is "Oldies Plus Goodies" where some weeks we will be featuring specific sets and other weeks will be an inspiration challenge featuring either a card from one of the Design Team members or even a card from the MFT gallery.

This week we picked "Hearts Galore", this is one of the sets that is on Limited Edition status at MFT. If you play along on SCS, please add the keyword MFTOPG1 so that we can find your entry as one lucky participant will receive a $5 credit to the store and be entered into a monthly drawing for $25 as well!! You've got from not until Monday (Sept 22) 9am EST to get your card uploaded on SCS to be available for the drawing.

For my first card, I used MFT's Thursday Sketch Challenge as my layout. I used the happy together birds from the Hearts Galore set. Colored the image with Prismacolor makers. Yes, the birds are colored, I used "Wheat" color as i didn't want them too strong. But then I pulled out the distress inks and went a little crazy! hehe And the distressing tool found itself into my hands so I had to use that too. I used the SU scallop punch on the strip, distressed the design paper and notched the corners.

One thing I LOVE about acrylic stamps is that you can cut them apart if you cut straight and still be able to use the stamp whole or in pieces. The sentiment I used on the strip actually is the last line in the poem that comes with the set. Instead of inking up just that line as I was using black distress ink and didn't feel like masking, I simply cut the last line off of the poem and inked it up separately. Cleaned it and put it back with the poem as if nothing was wrong with it! How cool is that?

This is to be my husband's anniversary card as it will be 15 yrs next month! (I know, I'm a little early now just don't let me forget I have his card made!)

stamp: hearts galore - MFT; paper: barouqe burgundy, chocolate chip, creamy caramel, design paper; ink: distress inks; accs: scallop punch, distressing tool, ribbon, notched punch

For today's Limited Supply 186, Wendybell had us going with a White Out! Only white cardstock with a black, any brown color or gray was allowed plus only ONE other color! No SPONGING (how could she do that to me??!!) allowed on the white at all! OH!! And only ONE image and ONE sentiment was allowed too!!

So I used Hearts Galore again! :) This time I used the cup that has a heart attached to it in the steam and then postioned the sentiment above it. Being acrylic, you can bend them however you would like to position them, so I made the sentiment go around the image just a little. Background white is cuttlebugged with the hearts folder. Image is colored in with only Real Red as you had to ink that matched your cardstock! I did add a little crystal stickles to the heart which was allowed. A simple but striking card.

stamp: hearts galore - MFT; paper: real red, black, white; ink: real red, black; accs: stickles, cuttlebug, scallop regtangle punch, ribbon

Thanks so much Topiarie

Today's Ways to Use it (#183) was to use a white gel pen. Oh, my. I LOVE my white gel pen. Almost can't make a card without it now a days! I use the Stampin' UP white gel pen. Thursday is also the day that Cindy, over in the MFT forum, posts the MFTsketch so of course I had to combine them.

Labor day week we recieved a fruit basket from some clients of hubby's. They had sent it because he had worked on their projects over the Labor Day weekend. He asked if I could make a Thank You card that he could send to them. So here it is:

stamp: build bouquet, sassy sayings - MFT; paper: far east dp, night of navy, vanilla, brocade blue; ink: old olive, distress inks: vintage photos, walnut s tain, broken china, faded jeans, weathered wood; accs: silver cord, white gel pen, flower soft, distressing tool, corner round punch, coluzzle

I used Build a Bouquet that Kim over at MFT has on sale right now. I only used two of the circles and stamped them in old olive. The pot was stamped in distress inks broken china and faded jeans. Used my gel pen to outline it and the stems. I then distressed the image with distress inks: weathered wood, broken china, faded jeans, vintage photo and walnut stain! Added some more white gel pen in the corners and picked up my distressing tool that was still siting out from yesterday and went to town. The pattern paper is from a mat stack called Far East. I used the corner round punch to do the scallop edge and a coluzzle to cut out the circle.

Now you are probably wondering about the "stuff" on the topiarie? It is called Flower Soft. Mom and I first saw this product at CHA and wanted some then. We found a company here in the States (Flourishes) that sells it as it is from overseas. You just glue it on where ever you want it. I used Helmar's acid free glue that dries clear. I took a side view picture so you can get more of an idea of how it sticks up.

Wanna get cozy with the MFT crew? Want excuses to buy more stamps and play with the ones you have? We are changing up our forum to make it tons of fun for the MFT lover in you! On Sept. 13th, we unveil our MFThemed Forum Days!

Play along with Who’s That Girl? Monday
Find out more about MFT crew and fans on Thread Starter Tuesday
Chat it up MFT style Wednesday nights at 9pm(est)
Get a little sketchy on Thursday
Hum a little Oldie PLUS Goodie on Friday

What’s in for you? We thought you’d ask! So we decided to offer a $5 store gift certificate to one lucky winner each day! And on top of all that goodness, the daily winners will be thrown into a monthly drawing for a $25 gift certificate! Now that’s a reason to celebrate, don’t you think?

Keep your eyes peeled and be ready to party on Sept 13th. Wanna know a little secret to get you started? You’ll need Rain or Shine for the very first challenge, so from now through Sept 13th, it’s 20% off, just to get you in the mood!

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

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.

Just Because

Miss me? I haven't stamped in over a week! No, I'm not sick (well, some might think so since I haven't stamped). Both my girls are in 4-H and we only have 3 weeks left until judging! (and nothing had been started!!) So what are they taking? Allie (8) is taking sewing, scrapbooking and cooking. Carmen (12) is taking scrapbooking, cooking and llamas. Can you say busy?? (or CRAZY mom??!!) Sewing is almost done, since it is her first year, it is a simple project like a skirt and a bag. As for the rest....well that is another story.

BUT.... I was able to stamp some today. I made the following card for the MFT sketch and for the Try New Technique. The technique was to watercolor using reinkers or if you didn't have reinkers, to squish the ink into the lid and pick it up that way. The colors I used, I didn't have reinkers so I squished the ink into the lid and picked it up with my aquapainter.

I used one of MFT's new line stamps by Annie LaPoint. I colored the image with Prismacolor pencils and gamsol first and then went back over it with inks picked up with the aquapainter. White gel pen was used on the flowers. Distressed the ovals with Sage Shadow and then with distress ink Vintage Photo. (I used a sponge for both inks if you were wondering) Using my mom's Nestibilities, I cut out the ovals and scalloped ovals. I also used design paper which is a big challenge for me.

stamp: Chamomlie by MFT; ink: black, chocolate chip, sage shadow, creamy caramel, close to cocoa, distress ink vintage photo; paper: Inspire dp (MFT), chocolate chip; accs: ribbon, nestiblities, brads, sponge, white gel pen, prismacolor pencils, gamsol

On a roll

Today's color challenge on SCS was So Saffron, Real Red and Regal Rose. Well... I have no Regal Rose paper, at least none that I can find. So I went with sponging Regal Rose onto White cardstock at least for the first card. Yes, I said first card. After I made the first one I decided to try something that I've been wanting to try so I made 2 cards today with the color challenge. I'm on a roll!

For my first card, I used the sketch on the MFT thread for this week. Used the set "Here's the Scoop". Cone and scoops are cutout and on dimensions. Watercolored them in just a little and went over the cone with So Saffron Marker. Took Regal Rose to the cuttlebug piece also. The sentiment is from the "Bundles of Bouquets" (MFT) set. To get the stripes in my ribbon, I took the Regal Rose marker just to the edges of the ribbon.

stamp: Here's the Scoop - MFT; paper: so saffron, white, real red; ink: black stazon, regal rose; acc: sponge, ribbon, markers, hodge podge, scallop oval punch, dimensions


When I got this stamp, I envisioned a Monet look to it. I decided to try using markers straight onto the stamp and spritzing with water. (I know this works on red rubber stamps but wasn't sure about acyrlic stamps.) I colored the flowers with Regal Rose, leaves and middle of pot with So Saffron and the pot with Real Red.

I spritzed the watercolor paper with a little water, Spritzed the stamp a few times with water. Held it for a second or two and then stamped it onto the paper. After the paper dried, I stamped the image again in Brilliance Black. I like the look that came from it. I will have to make a set of cards using this technique with this new stamp line from MFT.

stamp: Annie LaPoint "Take A Break" - MFT; paper: so saffron, real red, watercolor; ink: brilliance black; accs: SU markers Real Red, So Saffron, Regal Rose, vintage brads

Patriotic Birthday

Do you or someone you know celebrate a birthday around the 4th of July? Then this card is for you:

Some Patriotic Cupcakes! A sneak peek from MFT, What's Up Cupcake? The cupcakes are a complete stamp, no need for masking/stamp-a-ma-jig, just stamp and color. The cool part is the sprinkles. They are a complete separate stamp themselves!

I colored the liners with Prismacolor markers and added some Crystal Effects. For the sprinkles, I stamped them in blue and then added stickles. The cupcake stand is embossed in silver.

The rectangle and circle were both done using Nestibilites. (I used my moms. I don't have them myself :( ) White cardstock is embossed with the Happy Birthday folder and the red/blue cardstock are embossed with Dotted Swiss.

Every week there is a sketch in the MFT forum on SCS. This is this weeks sketch. Feel free to play along even if you don't own any MFTs, If you upload to SCS, use keywords: MFTSC33 so that we may find your card and leave a comment.

I am having some issues with my camera which isn't good since MFT's release is this week. Keep your fingers crossed that I am able to get pictures of my cards so that I can show you some more goodies that you will just love!

My Favorite Things (www.mftstamps.com) is having a New Release Cocktail Party on Wednesday, June 4 from 9-11 p.m. Eastern time. LOTS of fun (and a surprise release) is planned including finding out how YOU can be the next MFT Guest Designer. Head over to the MFT forum on www.splitcoaststampers.com to find out all the details and we hope to see you there on Wednesday night.

Sneak Peek and WHAT IS THAT??

Picture of the day:

So what is it?? And should I let my kids vaccum again??!!

It's that time again... Sneak Peek for My Favorite Things!! This set is called "Furever Friends". I used this weeks MFT sketch for my card. Image is colored with prisma watercolor pencils. Instead of a cirlce, i used the dog bone. Be watching all week long for more sneak peeks. I have some totally different ideas this time around!
stamp: Furever Friends - My Favorite Things; paper: black, old olive, white; ink: black stazon; accs: ribbon, cuttlebug, eyelet, prismacolor watercolor pencils

My Favorite Things (www.mftstamps.com) is having a New Release Cocktail Party on Wednesday, May 7 from 9-11 p.m. Eastern time. Lots of fun is planned including finding out how YOU can be the next MFT Guest Designer. Head over to the MFT forum on www.splitcoaststampers.com to find out all the details and we hope to see you there on Wednesday night.

Hello

I have been so busy that I barely have time to stamp and people are starting to notice that!! So I figured I had better make a card before someone sends some goons over to rough me up a bit!!

MFT posts a sketch the beginning of each week in their member forum on SCS. I haven't done one in a while so I decided to do this weeks. (it is not a requirement to use MFT stamps but if you have them then hey, why not use them!)

I had gone up to my moms a few weeks ago and ran off tons and tons of cardstock on her cuttlebug. I went through my stash and picked out Sage Shadow with dotted swiss cuttlebug. I paired it with black and watercolored my images with prismacolor watercolor pencils. The flower pot is actually one image, I just stamped it 3 times.



stamp: Bundles of Bouquets by MFT; ink: black stazon; paper: sage shadow, black, white; accs: prisma color watercolor pencils, ribbon, oval punch, eyelets, crop-a-dile, aqua painter, cuttlebug

I am so bad!! I posted a new EMChallenge but have yet to do it myself! I guess using chipboard is really a challenge for me!! I will try my hardest to make something today with chipboard. I am also busy making a brag book for a baby shower on Saturday. Only have 7 pages done so far!! Also have MFT releases coming up next week that I need to be working on and I am on the Cookbook committee at school and we are busy entering recipes on the Internet for our cookbook that we are selling in the fall! So I'm a sorry that I haven't been updating like I use to. I hope to get back into the swing of things soon.

Dotted Swiss by hand

I decided to combine the color challenge of Blush Blossom, Groovy Guava and Basic Grey (which mine is on order so I used black instead) and the MFT sketch challenge together. I did have an idea for the color challenge but using a different layout but you know how it goes... you start thinking and say "hey, I can do the same thing with that sketch" So I did.

I don't own a cuttlebug. I know, the horrors of it, huh? But I wanted a dotted swiss look to my vellum. So I took my paper piercer guide from my SU tool set and used my smallest stylest that would fit through the holes. Yes, I did make a few holes in the vellum but luckly I was able to cover them up with the image. But next time i am going up to my mom's and running off some on her cuttlebug as this darn card took me almost 3 hrs to complete because of doing it by hand!! But I love the look of it, can't wait to make more cards with the sketch.

I really wanted my background to be dotted swiss embossed too but really didn't feel like doing it by hand so I used Behind the Scenes from MFT stamped in Craft White. I also don't have any black ribbon (it's actaully on order) so I cut a thin piece of cardstock and added dots to it. And then I layered it on Blush blossom paper ribbon. The smallest oval was cut from the oval coluzzle and the rest were just cut to fit. Once again I added dots to around the sentiment. And dots on the scallop oval. I almost added dots to my corners to but my eyes were starting to go a little cross eyed!! Don't think i've ever added that many dots to a card!!

stamp: Thanks a Bunch, Behind the Scenes - My Favorite Things; ink: groovy guava, white, black, old olive; paper: blush blossom, groovy guava, black, vellum; accs: coluzzle, brads, scallop punch, stylus, paper piercer template, white gel pen, square punch to make photo corners, square punch

MFT Sneak peek

Yup, it's that time again... My Favorite Things sneak peeks! I did the My Favorite Things Sketch which can be found here.

When I first saw the sketch, I automatically thought of the card opening up and the scallop edging being the "inside" of the card (see picture below). I decided to use Behind the Scenes to add polka dots to the dress. This meant masking the flowers. I stamped the lady on white so that I could watercolor in her dress and the flowers with ink and Prisma Watercolor pencils. I stamped her again on Barely Banana as I wanted the saying on that color. Added a little color by watercoloring the flowers and adding some stickles to the middle.

I even found some Primas that match the cardstock perfectly. The frame and lady are on dimensions. I used the 3/16th corner round punch to do the scallop edge to which I also used the Behind the Scenes Dots to add to each scallop. (might be hard to see as it is Barely Banana on Barely Banana)

stamp: Happy Mother's Day, Behind the Scenes - MFT; paper: Bashful Blue, Barely Banana, Mellow Moss; ink: basic black, brocade blue; accs: Prisma Watercolor pencils, aquapainter, primas, brad, stickles, corner round punch

Here is the card "standing" up so you can see how the card opens.

My Favorite Things (www.mftstamps.com) is having a New Release Cocktail Party on Wednesday, April 2 from 9-11 p.m. Eastern time. Lots of fun is planned including finding out how YOU can be the next MFT Guest Designer. Head over to the MFT forum on www.splitcoaststampers.com to find out all the details and we hope to see you there on Wednesday night.

Cards, pouches, sketches

Have had sick kids the last few days and a snow day thrown in! Have have managed to stamp just haven't had the time to post. So that being said, I am going to do one big post! :)

Monday's challenge, envelope pouch. Used MFT sets Eggstra Special Easter and Hoppy Easter. and yes, those are real dyed eggs!
stamp set: Eggstra Special Easter, Hoppy Easter by MFT; ink: black stazon; accs: prismacolor pencils, gamasol, cloud stencil

Color challenge on Tuesday and MFT sketch. Used new set, Serenity Now by MFT. Don't really care for how this card turned out, not sure if it's the colors or if I needed to add more to the card but at least i got to stamp for the day as I did have a kid home from school!
stamp set: Serenity Now by MFT, Sanded, Linen; paper: certainly celery, pumpkin pie, white, orchid opulence; ink: Black stazon, certainly celery, pumpkin pie, orchid opulence; accs: scallop punch

Wend: Not only is it a snow day, but hubby stayed home too! (guess cause it was his birthday, he thought he could just work from home!) Speaking of his birthday, I used the sketch challenge to make his birthday card. Used MFT set Icing on the cake along with SU's Sanded background. Cake plate is embossed in clear embossing powder, went over the black ink with a Versamarker pen.
stamp set: Icing on the Cake - MFT, SU's Sanded; Ink: black, river rock, versamark; paper: chocolate chip, black, river rock; accs: brads, black & clear embossing powder, ribbon, versamarker pen