cat2stamp {The Stamps of Life}

Me and cats. . .we aren't fond of each other. I'm just not a pet person. I'm allergic to cats, which probably has something to do with my feelings about them! BUT. . .that all being said, how cute is this fluffy new cat from The Stamps of Life!? Thankfully kitty cat stamps don't make me sneeze, because I had a blast making some cards with cat2stamp!

First up, I diecut a circle from the front of my card, and adhered a panel of patterned paper inside. I stamped and diecut the cat from patterned paper. (I just love subtle patterned paper like this - those polka-dots are a fun detail on the cat! These papers are from DCWV.) I added some die cut flowers, and a sentiment to the front. Sweet and simple - it's the way I roll!

In this second photo, you can see the inside of the card. I added a few more diecut flowers, plus another sentiment. 

On the next card, I added some of the cute accessories with my kitty. For some reason, I just think that kitty dish is adorable. And the coordinating dies make pulling a card together so quickly! (I'm happy I didn't have to trim around all that fluffy fur!)

This last one is my favorite though. . . .I had this new twine from Close To My Heart, and with the spool patterned paper in the background, I just love it! I just played around with the twine until it looked tangled up around the cat, and then I added dots of glue to secure it. This patterned paper is from Carta Bella's Sew Lovely collection.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I'll be back on Wednesday. . .with something FUN! (Oh wait - I'm always fun. Silly me! haha!) Have a gorgeous week, my friends! xoxo

Enjoy the Journey {Avocado Arts}

I was so happy to be invited to play with Avocado Arts this month! Avocado Arts sells clear photopolymer stamps, made in the USA. I got to play with the new stamp set, Enjoy The Journey.

You can head over to the Avocado Arts blog to view more photos of these projects, but here are some details about them.

On my One Step at a Time card, I used dies cut the hills, and cloud (supplies are linked below.) When I created this, I was actually intending to put the car on the scene (that you'll see on a card below) but then I saw how perfectly the sentiment fit here, and I decided to do something quirky and just put the shoes walking across. I punched holes in each one to thread twine through for the laces.

Next up, I paper-pieced some lighthouses to create this card, and tag. The Nautical collection from Fancy Pants was just perfect with this! And the wave die was the perfect finishing touch on this card. 

And finally, my tie-died car. I really wanted to create a super colorful car, and I debated how to achieve that. I ended up stamping it, and then adding Hero Arts Ink Daubers over the top.  Big thanks to Avocado Arts for inviting me to play this month! 

Supplies:
Lawn Fawn Spring Showers dies (cloud, sunshine) 
Avery Elle Custom Panels dies (hills) 
Wave die (The Stamps of Life) 
Fancy Pants Nautical collection
Hero Arts Daubers

Mini Marker Board {Go-to Gal Designer Challenge:DCWV}

It's Go-to Gal Designer Challenge day! Today is the last Wednesday of the month, so the Go-to Gals are out to play! Each month we choose a manufacturer to showcase and this month we are playing with DCWV. You know DCWV if you've ever set foot on the paper aisle of Michael's, JoAnn, or Hobby Lobby! You know those GIANT stacks of patterned papers and cardstocks? Yup, that's DCWV! They also make some pretty cool specialty papers, like the dry erase paper that I'd like to share with you today!

DCWV has a big 12x12 pad of dry erase paper. Yes. You can write on it with a dry erase marker. Yes. You can erase it. Yes. It's cardstock weight. And Yes. I. Am. For. Real.
This stuff is COOL. Seriously COOL. So for today's Designer Challenge, I created a fun little dry erase board. I started off with a piece of chipboard for added stability, and then I adhered a piece of dry erase cardstock, plus some patterned cardstock from the Honey Chic stack. I looped a piece of twice on the back to hang it up, and added a twine bow across the board too.

And because I am really digging the Honey Chic stack, I created a coordinated card too. This paper has glitter in the patterns - and if you know me well, you know I DON'T DO GLITTER. But, here's the exception. DCWV has their glittery goodness safely under a layer of shine - so you don't look like a walking glitter mess every time you touch it. BRILLIANT.

To create this card, I used a hello die from Paper Smooches, and just pulled the whole thing together with bits of this and that in the Honey Chic stack. I love the colors in this paper, and I LOVE the dry erase paper. My kids have been using it, and I am really excited to make more fun little dry erase boards. Here are some of the fun ideas I've been pondering using the dry erase paper:
-dorm room board (a perfect homemade gift for someone heading off to college!)
-a kid's reusable dry erase book, by binding some pages together
-a classroom teacher gift, along with a package of dry erase markers and an eraser
-message board by the telephone or front door
And you can customize the shape, the size, the patterned papers. . . .the possibilities are ENDLESS!

I'm excited to see what the rest of the Go-to chickies have created for today! Be sure to hop around and visit them! And if you haven't already, I'd love for you to read my previous post, below. . .there's a chance to win a crafty goodie bag!  Thanks so much for stopping by! xoxo

The Go-to Gals participating in today's challenge:

• Heather Campbell

• Kim Kesti

• Kimberly Crawford
• Laina Lamb

• Teri Anderson

Finding inspiration in the June issue {Paper Crafts & Scrapbooking magazine}

Hello crafty friends!
I'm on the Paper Crafts & Scrapbooking blog today, sharing a card I created which is based on two cards from the June issue. I chose a color scheme from one card, and a layout from another and I combined them up into my own creation. If you haven't already, head over to the PC&S blog to see the cards I was inspired by, plus the original card I created.

But then there's this card too. . .you see, as I created, I realized that the little squares of patterned paper that I was trimming were screaming to become a mass produced card set. So that's what I did. I started playing and creating a whole set of coordinating cards using the same layout as Beth Opel's simple, funky card. (I'm telling you. . .GO over to the Paper Crafts blog and check it out!)

Want to hear a secret? (As if you need another reason to head over to the PC&S blog?) The card I created for Paper Crafts is showing off some NEW soon to be released Sweet Stamp Shop stamps. You can see them a day early! In honor of the occasion, Sweet Stamp Shop is offering a prize for one lucky commenter over on that blog post. A $10 gift certificate could be yours! (Plus they're also offering a really great coupon code to all of you lovely blog readers!)

So. . ..
why are you still here?
Go!
(Giggle!)
And thanks for coming by!!!!
xoxo

(Card goodies: patterned paper - DCWV Honey Chic, stamps - Sweet Stamp Shop - Elegant Sentiments, bronze triangles - Close To My Heart, sequins - Avery Elle)

Want to subscribe to Paper Crafts & Scrapbooking magazine? Click HERE! 

a little of this and that {Clearly Besotted Stamps}

Well, here we are almost through January, and I have yet to get my blogging life back to some sort of schedule. It's the story of life, isn't it? I read so many blogs who's posts start out, "I've been a bad blogger lately," or "I've been taking a break from blogging," or "The days keep getting away from me." It's just the way of it for some of us. 

So guess what? I'm not going to apologize! I've been doing what I like best - hanging with my family, and making cards. Let's just all free ourselves from feeling like we need to apologize all the time. (Well, unless we really DO owe someone an apology!) 

Today I have two cards, one of which I'm not totally sure that I haven't already shared here. Somewhere in the midst of the last few months, I've gotten my organization off track, and I have a bunch of "to-be-blogged" photos that never made it into the "already blogged" file. So if you've already seen one of these cards - SORRY! (Oh wait - I'm not apologizing. Never mind. I'm not sorry. Deal with it.)  Giggle! ;) 

These cards were both created with stamps from Clearly Besotted - seriously, I just think this is a great little stamp company! There are coordinating dies for both of the stamp sets I'm sharing today, and the products are the best quality, fun to use, and I just love them! 

This first card showcases the Baby Love stamp and die set. I can hardly stand the cuteness of the little heart cut outs from the carriage wheels - ADORABLE. Seriously. So sweet! I used my much loved dotted embossing folder from Sizzix for the background, and a tag from DCWV. 

This second card was created with the April Showers stamp set. I paired the stamps with some fun patterned papers - but that houndstooth on the umbrella is a stamp - SO CUTE!!!!

Thank you so much for coming by, and for extending grace when I am totally unpredictable with my blogging! I really and truly do appreciate each of you visiting my blog! I'll be back sometime this week with a little giveaway, so I'll see you soon! Have a beautiful day!

xoxo

PS - I just looked at my blog stats. . . I have had 101,101 visitors. How cool is that???! DEFINITELY get ready for a little goodie giveaway this week! :)

November's new stamps - tv2stamp {The Stamps of Life}

It's another new month, and another cute new stamp set from The Stamps of Life! 

I'm pleased to introduce you to tv2stamp. 

I had fun pairing these stamps with some other TSOL sets, like phone4you. the sentiments work really well together!!!

I might have done some diecutting on these cards. . . so you might want to stay tuned for dies to come!!!

On this next card, I diecut the bursts from We R Memory Keepers adhesive wash sheets. I've mentioned these, a time or two. .  .they are SO fun, and as you can see, they diecut beautifully! 

Thanks so much for coming by, today! Be sure to stop by the TSOL gallery for lots more samples, and lots of great stamp sets for sale in the TSOL shop! 

xoxo

tickets2stamp has arrived! {The Stamps of Life}

Helllllllllloooo October! {Did I mention yesterday that October is my favorite!?} I am thrilled to share the newest stamp set from The Stamps of Life, tickets2stamp! I have a bunch of cards to share with you today - are you ready!?

The tickets are such fun to stamp up on different colors of cardstock.  I added some diecut stars, and used my Sizzix Framelits circle dies to create this first card.  (I think it's my favorite of the today's bunch of cards!)

I love the way the ticket creates little notches in the middle, perfect for tying twine around. It will stay JUST where you put it! 

(patterned paper from Elle's Studio Cameron Collection)

And the tickets makes a great background too! (paired with phone4you set)

(Patterned paper from My Mind's Eye Notable Collection)

 I went for a shabby chic look on this next card. . .something that doesn't come easily to me! I used my circle dies again, and some beautiful patterned kraft cardstock (from DCWV)

 And you may have noticed, that there seem to be some DIES that coordinate with this stamp set! And you're RIGHT! The dies will be available on the website on October 20th!  After I diecut the ticket strips, I diecut stars from the orange one and layered them up.

(Patterned paper from Die Cuts With a View)

The tickets2stamp gallery is filling up with design team member projects with great inspiration! Be sure to stop by and check it out! 

Thanks for stopping by!

xoxo

Make Christmas in September {The Stamps of Life}

It's the first of the month! September! Goodbye summer. (Except here in Florida we still have another two or three months of warm summer-like weather!)

If you create your own holiday cards, it's probably a good time to start thinking, planning, and getting organized. (Even if you don't actually start the cards for another two months or so!) 

The new lights4christmas set from The Stamps of Life is a great start to the holiday-card-making season! On this first card I used glittered cardstock from DCWV.  I stamped with Staz-On ink, and added a swirl of twine.

I created a diecut shaped card for this second card.  The Framelits dies are so much fun to make shaped cards.  I used the Majestic 2 Framelits for this. Fold cardstock to create a card, and then line the die up just outside of the folded edge, so that the fold doesn't get cut.  And ta-DAH. . .a shaped card!

 A little more DCWV cardstock on this next one.  I used just the sweet little sentiment tags to make this quick and simple card.

And last, but certainly not least, I used Stephanie Barnard's brand new Sizzix Fancy Frame Flip-its #2 die for this card. (Featuring some more DVWV cardstock! Ha! I didn't even realize I had pulled from DCWV for all of these cards!) 

Visit The Stamps of Life to purchase the new lights4christmas stamp set, plus lots of inspiration in the gallery!

Supplies: 

Majestic 2 Framelits dies - find it at Sizzix or at scrapbook.com
Fancy Frame Flip-it die find it at Sizzix or at scrapbook.com

Go-to Gal Designer Challenge {The Twinery}

The Go-to Gals are having fun with products from The Twinery today! Once a month we plan to have our own little crafty challenge, featuring some of our favorite products. Today I have a card to share with you featuring three great twines from The Twinery: Cantaloupe, Honeydew, and Shore.

This card also features stamps and dies from Technique Tuesday (Flags Are Flying), plus patterned paper from DCWV (6x6 The Basics Stack).

Please stop by The Twinery and check out all of their products (have you seen their new solid colored twine!? SWOON!) You can also find fabulous projects, challenges, and information on The Twinery Blog!

Be sure to check out what the other Go-to Gals created, with goodies from The Twinery!

• Betsy Veldman

• Heather Campbell

• Kim Kesti

• Kimberly Crawford

• Teri Anderson

If you haven't been by Paper Crafts Connection today, Heather Campbell is over there today . . .and I bet she has something fabulous to share! 

Thanks so much for stopping by!

xoxo

Blue Ribbon! {TSOL}

Hey there friends!  I found one more card featuring this month's releases from TSOL, that I neglected to share! (GASP!) When I first received the zigzag circle dies, I will admit, I was a little unsure how to REALLY use them.  But then when Stephanie at The Stamps of Life released THIS stamp set, I suddenly could not live WITOUT this die! It coordinates with the award2stamp and circles4awards stamps, and so does the Banner Framelits dies (and additional coordinating stamps.) You can find all of these fun products at The Stamps of Life store!

 

Thanks so much for stopping by!!!! I'm thankful for prescheduled posts, because as you read this, I am meandering through the mountains on a family vacation this week.  I'll be back soon!!!

xoxo

PS Be sure to stop by my previous post, with another TSOL project, and a goodie giveaway, through July 31!  

(card goodies: patterned paper - DCWV Sunday Afternoon, ink - Clearsnap, stamps - The Stamps of Life, dies - Sizzix)

Goodbye May!

Geez Louise, the days - they just keep disappearing! There have been too many fun things to do, rather than blogging. (No offense. . .I really DO enjoy hanging out with you, but seriously. Who can BLOG when there's cake to eat, karate class to shuffle kids to, Lego buildings to build, scooters to ride, and light saber battles to referee?)   I HAVE been making cards like a crazy person, but I'm sorry I just don't have anything to show you yet!!! {But hopefully you'll see a lot of it in a few months, in the pages of Paper Crafts!}

For today though. . . .a  sweet little thank you card that I created with a DCWV 6x12 stack, called Chickadee.  It comes with these fabulously fun edges die-cut and all ready to go.  How CUTE is that? I seriously just trimmed down one edge, and folded it. I used a hole punch and trimmed a half-circle from the top and bottom, to give a secure place to tie my string.  I tied on the tag (also from DCWV, along with a Technique Tuesday stamp) and called it DONE.  

{By the way, you can see this 6x12 stack, and some other inspiration, on the DCWV blog!}

 And for the sake of recycling cute things, that string you see, came from a package from Lawn Fawn.  They always tie that gorgeous blue string around their stamps, and I always hoard it! (I should just ask where it's from, and get some for myself - but hey, I like to recycle!)

School is out in one more week.  Then the REAL fun will begin. Two boys home all day together, and I'll be down for the count.  :)  But in the meantime, I'll  be back on June 1st, to show off some cute-as-ever new stamps from The Stamps of Life! See you soon!