Friday, March 30, 2012

Bras are like friends...

I just love the Bra Volume 1 stamp set at

And this week they have a
challenge sketch that called out to me!

Well, AND the prize is a set of Skipping Stones stamps!  Whoo-hoo!


I just felt like hanging the little gals out in the clear Spring breeze, added some light, sweet die-cut clouds, tiny bling, and a bit of sparkle by heat embossing and fussy cutting the bras!


Hope you like!

Also, entered in the challenge at:

Spread your wings....

This card was made especially for the

Do you love their stamps as much as I do?
They are celebrating their very first blog birthday
and there are numerous challenges and even FREE digis!


My card:

I heat embosssed the birdcage from the gorgeous Craft's Meow  "Fly Free" stamp,
along with a few little personal extras... cream Hug Snug, resin bird...
The feathers are from our very own parrots.  I have peacock and artificially colored craft feathers in my stash, but it just seemed right to use our very own.
(Don't worry, they fell out during a normal molting.
No birds were injured in the gathering of these feathers!  LOL!)
They were the perfect blue and green colors.
(Note: Bird feathers glow with an odd irridescent color when photographed!
There is NO  yellow in that feather!)

The inside simply has the sentiment that is included in the set:

Spread your wings and fly!


Hope you enjoy!


Thursday, March 29, 2012

DYSU Challenge #65

This week we want you to "sew it!


This week we have three sponsors:

$10 Gift Voucher

$15 Gift Certificate

Winner's Choice of 4 Images

Here's my little contribution:


Most of my cards consisting of sewing, are very vintage and serious.  This little "Dearie Dolls" seamstress mouse afforded me the opportunity to go a different route.
(Playful, fun, a bit silly...)

This card will be great for a greeting to a BFF who I've not heard from in a while.
(There are a few out there, and you know who you are!)

Check out ALL of the Design Team's "stitched projects" at DYSU!
Come join in the fun!
Speaking of fun, this card is entered in the challenge at The Ribbon Carousel (Twine)

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

More Pretty Butterfly Greetings!

Spring is here!


 I love the idea that Spring is here and along with it comes all
the gorgeous colors, textures, and terrific challenges!


I used some K & Company paper that I'd had for ages along with their chipboard butterfly.  The birds on the print just cried out for the jute and raffia border! I mounted it all on a kraft background and added the pretty, little Prima flowers to top it off! 
The sentiment is from JustRite's, "All Occasion Sentiments" set. I love that font!

For some reason, when I cropped and tried to soften the edges of my card, it picked up the pattern of the paper on the card! I still haven't figured out Adobe Photoshop CS5....ugh...
I liked my Elements much better!


 Challenges entered:
Shabby Tea Room (Lilac, Blue, Yellow, Kraft and a butterfly!)
     And the prize is a great collection of JustRite background stamps! 
     ohhh....be still my heart!
JustRite Stampers (Spring colors and a butterfly!)
Paper Sundaes (Spring blossoms!)
Sentemental Sundays (Spring/Easter)
The Ribbon Carousel (Raffia and jute)

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Just Rite Challenge #069

Wow, I agree with Kellie over at JustRite Inspiration!
It simply doesn't seem possible that they are holding
their 69th challenge!  And it's a really good one!

SPRING FLING!

Bring out your Spring colors and include a butterfly!

If you're not familiar with JustRite's stamps, go check out their website!
I have a huge wishlist, but I particuliary LOVE the new Sea Shell Bay, At the Beach, and Oceanside stamp sets!  Of course, then I would need the dies to go with!
Now, do you see my problem?  Too many to choose from!

On this challenge card, I used an image stamped and colored with Copics from
"Shabby Chic Labels Four" as a mat for my butterfly chipboard piece.
I love the delicate details that show out from beneath the wings.
I also used the same stamp inside along with the sentiment from the
"Tiny Words", an Original JustRite set. 


In Phoenix, we have seen these gorgeous orange, black, and blue/green butterflies in our yards for the past few weeks!  We finally recieved our first much-needed rainfall of the Spring, and the few flowers that grow here in the desert have popped out in great numbers! Of course, my allergies have reflected that, too! At least these beautiful creatures make it all worth the sneezing and headaches!


Finished inside:


As I mentioned above, JustRite Inspiration is having a terrific Challenge Friday and I am definately entering this beauty!  I give all of the credit to the inspiration from my backyard visitors, and hope they're around for a while longer.
Spring is simply way too short in Phoenix!

Supplies: 
Designer Papers:  DCWV, "Serenity", Prima, "Botanical", and SEI, "Moonrise"
Stamps:  "JustRite Shabby Chic" and "Tiny Words"
Chipboard:  K & Company, "Natural Butterflies"
Dies:  Spellbinder, Nesties; Labels Four, Floral Flourishes, and Fleur de Lis Squares
Lace:  JoAnn's
Pearls: Zva Creations



Thursday, March 22, 2012

DYSU Challenge #64 - PLAID!

Winner's Choice of 3 Digital Images

Winner's Choice of 4 Digital Images

A "Toodle Club Membership" and a Toodle Birthday Calendar



My project started out as a card. Quickly, I decided that with this adorable little guy's image from Crafty Sentiments,
I would be missing out on a great opportunity to create a
Summer Memory book for my grandson.

Being a beginner with Copics markers,
I had quite a challenge with the hair on this image.
I was far from happy with the way it looked, so I dampened a terry cloth with the Alcohol Blending solution and dabbed his head a bit.  He's hot, so I figured his hair would be damp, also.  It may not be visible in the photo.


I also dabbed the fan with some dotted cloth to make it appear more textured.
Since I have no pictures to add just yet, I finished up the remaining pages in co-ordinating papers and added some little Summer stamps.



I am including photos of only two of the pages, as the pictures didn't come out very well anyway. But you get the idea.
Once I fill it with photos of Hayden having a great summer,
it will be one of his favorite mini albums!

Check out the rest of the Design Team's projects!
Plaid is so much fun to play with!

Sunday, March 18, 2012

I have been awarded!

I have been so sweetly awarded the


This award is for bloggers with less than 200 followers, to

 bring attention to their blog and help increase their

followers. So I am passing this award on to five worthy bloggers and would love

 for you to visit them and become a Follower or at least leave them some love!

The blogger version of "pay it forward"!

Here are the Rules:

1. Show you're thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.

Thank you, Denise!
Please check out Denise's blog! It's divine!
2. Reveal your five picks for the award and let them know.
3. Post the award on your blog.
4. Bask in the love from the supportive people out there in Blog Land!
5. Finally and the best rule of all..........have fun and spread the love!

The five blogs I visit regularly and have chosen for this award are listed below. Please hop over to their beautiful sites and take a look around.
 Some of these names you are probably already familiar with!
1.  Wenche (Wenche's Papirkaos)
2.  Lori Barnett (Stamp Scents)
3.  Naomi (Paper Bag Princess)
4.  Marcy (The Ardent Scrapper)
5.  Pauline (Craft Obsession)

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Welcome to the Waltzing Mouse Blog Party!





Nobody knows how to celebrate St. Patrick's Day like Claire at "the Mouse"!

I know we all get excited at the prospect of green beer, corned beef and cabbage, and kissing strangers in the pub, (ok, I may be telling on myself here) but there are some of us who have Irish ancestors and we take this time to remember and appreiciate where we came from.

My Paternal Grandmother was half Irish.
She passed away when I was only a teenager, and I never knew her very well.
My father knows little about his family's history.

So, I wanted to take a more serious approach to my celebration.
I printed this beautiful image from the Waltzing Mouse blog, colored it, and decided to use it for more than just a card front.

I had found a recipe for Irish Shortbread and thought it would be nice to copy it onto a recipe card to keep with my shamrocks.

Then, wanting to share the image after spending hours coloring it, I made this card. 
Happy St. Patrick's Day, Claire!



I hope everyone has a great time today hopping around.
Remember, today we are ALL Irish!
Be safe, be happy, and be green!
(Consider yourself PINCHED!)

This card is also entered in the sketch challenge this week at Waltzing Mouse!
(Flip the sketch on it's side, of course!)

Friday, March 16, 2012

The cutest video ever!

If you don't do anything else in the next 24 hours,

click on the link below to see Webster's Pages' newest video!  Absolutely adorable! And all that wonderful goodness at Webster's! 

http://vimeo.com/mynoveltree/websterspagesnowshipping

Thursday, March 15, 2012

DYSU Challenge #63


This week we have three sponsors:

Winner's Choice of 3 Digis
$10 gift certificate



Not only did I use my favorite colors, but I used my favorite materials...
DCWV papers (Le Creme) and a $1 stamp from Michael's! 
It always thrills me when I see an image and then challegne myself to make a card from something so small and simple!


I decided to go through my cards I've made over the last 3 years and count how many I used RED on as a primary color...
well, I made it up to 37 and then recalled that some I hadn't posted and had sent out without photos.  So, there you have it.  My favorite color is most definately
RED!
Here are some of my other past projects that show my passion for RED!










Now, go over to the Do You Stack Up blog, and show us YOUR favorite colors!

MFT November Sketch Challenge!

This week at MFT ,  the sketch challenge #462 is  a fairly simple one!.   Here's my take on a much needed Get Well card for my ...