Monday, October 31, 2011

Woohooo!

So excited to share this today--------->Click here! For those who are not familiar with my blog...I have been an Echo Park Paper fan since the beginning so I am thrilled!!!!!


Sunday, October 30, 2011

Fall cards

Hi everyone! Wow...still reeling here---->we had our first snow yesterday. Yes...snow. The kids were excited and we learned exactly what winter clothes we still need :)

Today I have two simple cards to share that I made a little bit ago. These were two of the first cards I made with my Silhouette.

The first is a fall card using some Echo Park paper and the beautiful leaf design by Lori Whitlock. You can find it here: Flourish Maple Leaf. I used some Echo Park alphabet stickers to add the sentiment and a bit of Twinery ribbon and a button to finish it off: The second is a cute little Halloween card (whew...just getting this one in before it is over!) The background paper is from Echo Park Apothecary Emporium. Sentiment is by SRM stickers--We've Got Your Sticker- Treats! The spider is another Silhouette file.


Thanks for stopping by! Have a warm/GREAT day!

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Sorry!

I couldn't help but use this A Little Witchy set from Our Craft Lounge again. It doesn't HAVE to be just for Halloween! (hee!) Anytime you need a little note of apology, this set would be perfect!


Patterned paper is by Echo Park!
Thanks for stopping by and THANKS so much for your kind comments yesterday!
xo


Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Inhale...exhale....

So excited to see my name HERE! So excited to work with The AMAZING Lori Whitlock and the talented ladies on her team. This is gonna be fun :)


Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Bird Droppings....

....oh my goodness...I could NOT resist that title.
Yesterday, Lauren and I made cupcakes. While the cupcakes were cooking, I took the opportunity to print out this adorable little turkey, a silhouette file by Lori Whitlock.
I love him. I thought he would be adorable inserted in a cupcake for a Thanksgiving treat. What I didn't think about was how I was decorating the cupcake.....It wasn't until after I took the picture that I realized that I probably *should* have left off the chocolate chips...hee! Still, he is a cutie, eh? This was so simple. And see the little doily pattern the cupcake is sitting on? Yep, that is another Lori Whitlock design from my Silhouette. Sigh!
Here is a close up of the little gobbler:


And here is a close up of the cupcake that is already history:

Hee! Sorry...couldn't resist! Giggle, I mean....Gobble!

Have a GREAT day!


Monday, October 24, 2011

OCL Breast Cancer Awareness Hop and Blog Candy

The Our Craft Lounge design team is having a blog hop today in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Week. Leave comments on all the blogs of the hop to be entered to win Granny's Support Team stamps set and two jars of pink sparkly fluff! The winner will be announced tomorrow morning on the OCL blog! For my card I used one of my favorite OCL sets-- Out for a Spin. I stamped the bike and paper-pieced it with some pink paper. I stamped some of the hearts from the set and have them floating around the bike. I added some piercing holes to look like the wind around the bike. I love the happy colors of this card---I designed it so that it would be a ray of sunshine to someone who needs it. I have several friends who are battling this disease right now and every one of them are just remarkable people. Until we have a cure...there is hope...

Check out these blogs to see how the wonderful designers used their OCL sets for this special hop! Don't forget to comment to increase your chances of winning!

Kendra
Amber
Carolyn
Deb
Debbie
Lori
Stephanie
Tammie
Michelle
Dawn
Lori
Cassie

Thanks for stopping by today!

Friday, October 21, 2011

Find Joy Every Day mini album

ETA: ohhh! Just found out that my album is being featured on Lori Whitlock's blog today! If you get the chance, I would love it if you would head on over there and tell her I sent you! Thanks so much!

Hello! Happy Friday :) This week went fast! Pretty excited to go to Pizza/Bingo night and my youngest kids' school tonight. My six year old is pumped to learn how to play bingo. She has been on such a Memory game kick so I am excited to introduce her to a new game!

Speaking of fun times with the kids---a few weeks ago my husband, sister and I took all of our kids to a local farm to pick apples. It was so much fun. We literally came home with 90 apples because we all wanted to pick them!
I created this little mini album of some of the pictures I took that day: I used two Silhouette files-apple and sentiment (both by Lori Whitlock) for the cover of the album. I used some white SRM number stickers to create the little date banner.

Here is a detail shot of the apple:
Page 1 of the album features another Silhouette file- tree (by Lori Whitlock). I layered the leaves so that they have some dimension. I folded the top layer so that half sticks out. I also used a white gel pen to add some veins in the leaves.
"Live Simply" is a SRM sticker (one of my favies!):
Page 2 features another Silhouette file by Lori Whitlock. Love this one. I stitched along the edges of the sentiment.
I added some Twinery ribbon after I finished the front and back pages so that I could layer it underneath the picture on the other side:
Page 3 mostly features a picture :) I love it. It is of my niece. I caught her in a moment when she was just staring at her apple she just picked. I added some SRM stickers on top of the picture:

Page 4 is a picture of my son, Ben (8.5). He really didn't want his picture taken so I had to take a few when he wasn't looking. I love this one! I used a fun leaf design from my Silhoutte (also by Lori Whitlock) to embellish this page. The sticker is another one from SRM stickers. "Good!" pretty much sums it up!
Page 5 is just a picture of one of the apple trees. Had to capture it with all the apples. Sentiments and dotted circle are both from SRM stickers:
Page 6 features my daughter, Cara (15). Love this one---because of her happy smile! I used a white SRM sticker "Smile" on the picture. The sticker is from Echo Park. I used some more Twinery ribbon along the top of this page:
Page 7 is a picture of my daughter Lauren (6) with her cousin Megan (3). They were so cute wandering around looking for apples they could reach. I used a SRM sticker "Happy" inside an Echo Park sticker and I think it fits the page well:
Page 8 is my daughter Lauren (6) picking an apple. Definitely a cutie pie:
All paper is by Echo Park paper.



Thanks so much for stopping by today! Have a great weekend.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Masculine Birthday

Hello! Hope you are having a good week so far. Mine has been B.U.S.Y!

I love this Our Craft Lounge set-- Golfin' Gramps! He is so cute (reminds me of my dad a bit!) and I have quite a few golfers in my family (yep, including my dad!) so I couldn't pass this set up. It was one of the first OCL stamp sets I purchased and I still LOVE it!
Hee! The sentiment reads "Any way you slice it, have a wonderful birthday!"

The patterned paper is by Echo Park.

Thanks for stopping by!

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Farewell Stamper's Dream Hop

In case you haven't heard yet---Michelle Rodgers has made the difficult decision to close her online store-- Stamper's Dream. :( I still remember when she contacted me to be on her design team. It was such an awesome day. She is such an amazing person and stamper....and I am so grateful to have the honor of her friendship.

For my card above, I used the Stampavie image, Chanson D'Amour. I coupled the image with Season's Greetings patterned paper by Echo Park.

Michelle has decided to end on a great note---with a HUGE SALE! Everything in the store is 20% off with the coupon code Farewell2U. Just enter the code on the checkout page in the coupon section and it will take 20% off the lowest marked price of the items in your shopping cart! There is a $20 minimum to activate the coupon. (Sorry, but there will be no free shipping during the liquidation.)

And did you know we're having our very last Stamper's Dream blog hop??? Here's the lineup: ETA: My links aren't working---You can find the links on Michelle's blog!

Michelle Rodgers
Becca Feeken
Tosha Leyendekker
Denise Marzec
Laurie Schmidlin
Carolyn King
Amy Sheffer
Arlene Cuevas
Teresa Kline
Jessica Diedrich
Mariana Grigsby
Lea Lawson
Jo Thompson

Thanks for stopping by!

Monday, October 17, 2011

Pub Correction :)

Hello! Today I am sharing a card of mine that is published in the November issue of Cardmaker Magazine (page 17). I don't usually put a lot of my published stuff on my blog but I am mentioning this one because the magazine tagged this as someone else's card. (Too funny because it was a friend of mine. I am honored that they thought it was hers :)

Anyway...thought I would share and give a little plug for this Cardmaker issue---it is fabby! Have an awesome day!

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Spooky Treat

Hello! I am almost finished with Halloween projects but I couldn't resist another one---just trying to use up my Echo Park Apothecary Emporium scraps so I used them to create this little treat holder.
I also used a Silhouette file (haunted house by Lori Whitlock) to adorn the front. Here is a view of the front. I glittered up the bat with some fine black glitter and used some stickers from the same collection.

Fun! Having a blast with the Silhouette :)


Have a great weekend!



Friday, October 14, 2011

Swimming for Katie Blog Candy Winner!

Hello!
Sorry for the absence.....I've been doing some publication work but I wanted to pop in and let you know the winner of my Swimming for Katie blog candy.


Congrats to #2 commenter, Glenda J! Glenda, please email me your address and I will get your package right out to you! Thank you so much for donating to the cause.
The hop was a great success!!! You can still purchase the stamps or donate by clicking the donate button on the sidebar of my blog.


Katie has taken a turn for the worse since the hop began and every card, donation and prayer will help.
Thanks, friends!

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Spideriffic!

So, I had to make one more cob web box :) It is just too cute.....
(and it was easy enough to make while watching Dancing with the Stars!)

I found this 3D spider in the Silhouette store and thought he would look adorable perched on the cob web box designed by Lori Whitlock. I used some paper scraps by Echo Park and created the little banner sentiment using My Favorite Things Banner die and some Echo Park (Apothecary Emporium) stickers.

Easy peasy!


Supplies:

Silhouette files- cobweb box cut file by Lori Whitlock; 3D spider by Kenzie Daley.

Patterned paper-Summer Days- Banners (Echo Park); Black Magic- Apothecary Emporium Collection (Echo Park); Noir Pattern Dot (Making Memories)

Die- Banner Day (My Favorite Things); circles (Spellbinders)

Ink- tea dye (Ranger)
Rhinestones- Recollections, Michael's


Thanks for stopping by!

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Swimming for Katie Renz





Hello! Today I have the honor of participating in an event for a fabulous person and fellow stamper, Katie Renz. From October 10-12 some of the best stampers are joining together to support and encourage our friend and fellow stamper, Katie Renz, who is currently battling inoperative gastic cancer. If you are not familiar with her, Katie's cancer story started just before Christmas last year. This young, beautiful, healthy, vibrant mother of three was suddenly diagnosed with an inoperable cancer, virtually overnight. Her first post about it is HERE. The idea of "Swimming for Katie" was concepted by Kate from I {heart} papers from a recent post HERE. Kate organized this incredible outreach and I am so glad to be a part of it.

If you would like to make a donation to Katie, you can use the donation button on the sidebar of my blog. There is also an exclusive stamp set (used in my card below), designed by Becky Oehlers that you can purchase in a clear stamp or a digi or a dig and SVG cut file. 100% of the profits go to Katie's fund to help her and her young family. Her husband Kevin and her three young children need our help and support. In addition to the Keep Swimming Octopus, Marianne Walker and True =D Doodle Designs both donated digis that are for sale. Information central is HERE. This is a permanent page that will stay active at i {heart} papers with current information and the full three day blog hop list as well as a donation button.



I hope you will join me in supporting Katie through a purchase or donation. Here is a list of everyone who has projects posted today. I hope you will be inspired by them and donate.


Ashley Harris

Clare Buswell

Jessica Diedrich

Lisa Somerville

Charlene Merrick

Eva Dobilas

Judy Rozema

Sharon Doolittle

Tifany DeGough

Windy Robinson

Ashley Cannon Newell

Connie McCotter

Heidi Van Laar

Karen Maldonado

Lori Craig

Melissa Phillips

Tosha Leyendekker

Amy Kolling

Angela Thomas

Angelica Suarez

Angie Blom

Becky Oehlers

Betty Wright

Bev Gerard

Brenda Weaver

Carolyn King

Chari Moss

Charlene Driggs

Claire Brennan

Corinna McGregor

Craft Critique

Karen Hunsaker (Rubbernecker Stamps Designer)

Keely Yowler

Kelly Schirmer

Keri Lee Sereika

Kim Hughes

Kimber McGray

Kittie Caracciolo

Kristin Eberline

Wendy Price


If you would like to send Katie a card, her mailing address is:
Katie Renz
PO Box 5913
Bellingham, WA 98227-5913

As an extra thank you--if you make a donation, send a card or purchase a stamp or digi, please let me know in the comments below. I will pick a random winner on Friday to receive a special package I will put together full of lots of stampy goodness. Thanks friends!


Monday, October 10, 2011

BOOtiful Box

Hello! Happy Monday!

Just had to share this funny story with you. Last night when I was talking to my daughter Lauren (6) before bed, I was telling her about why she had off today:
Me: You usually have school on Mondays but tomorrow you have off.
Lauren: Why?
Me: Because it is Columbus Day.
Lauren: What is that?
Me: A holiday to remember Christopher Columbus--he discovered America.
Lauren: Wow. Is he going to do that tomorrow?

hee! LOVE her!

Speaking of LOVE. I broke down and got a Silhouette over the weekend....and I am so glad I did. This machine is magical :)
I was playing around with it and downloaded this free Cobweb window box from Lori Whitlock. You can find it here. The amazing Lori Whitlock and uber talented Tamara ( Happy Life Crafty Wife Blog) are hosting a decorating contest. Just use either box design, decorate it and enter to win!

Here is my project:



I also used the "Bootiful" sentiment by Lori (available in the Silhouette store). Patterned paper is by Echo Park Paper.

Thanks for stopping by!


Sunday, October 9, 2011

Candy Princess Wand

Hello! Today I have a Princess wand project to share. Lots of people have created princess wands using the Magic Wand tubes from SRM stickers and I wanted to give it a try.
I knew my daughter would get a kick out of it :) (And she LOVES it!)
I paired the tube with some Echo Park (Little Girl) paper and some scraps I had and used SRM- We've Got Your Sticker- Princess to create this:
I used some of the stickers from the sheet all along the wand leading to the topper. The tube is filled with pink candies.

Have a magical day! Thanks for stopping by!


Saturday, October 8, 2011

Another scaredy cat!

Hello! Happy Saturday!
Today I have a card using Our Craft Lounge Scaredy Cat stamp set. I used this set in a different way this time. The main image features a Cat perched on the pumpkin. Instead of using the cat part, I cut off the top like you would carve a pumpin and lined it up with the swirls on the patterned paper:I love getting more use from my stamps by altering them a bit. The patterned paper is by Echo Park- Apothecary Emporium Collection.

Have a great weekend! Thanks for stopping by!