PC Sketchy Hop

Hello! I am sooo very honored to have been asked by my sweet stamping friend Maren to join in on the Paper Crafts Go-To Sketches blog hop today!!! Maren and I met in person for the first time a little over year ago and I consider her one of my closest stamping buddies . I just *adore* her.

Today, you will see some fresh new cards created with some of the amazing sketches the fabulous Go-To Girls created for Go-To Sketches. In addition, you will be entered to win it by commenting on each of the participating blogs listed below!!!!!!!!! (Leave a comment on each blog to increase your chances of winning!) Three winners will be selected from all the entries!!!

The comments will close at midnight on Thursday, April 8.

Here is one of Maren's awesome sketches from the book:
Here are my takes on the sketch--

For this card, I created the card base and then cut another white mat slightly smaller than the card and embossed it with the textile embossing folder. I inked the edges with Sahara sand ink and attached it to the base.

I cut a small rectangle of designer paper and stamped the foliage stamp from Signs of Autumn (Gina K Designs) all over it in the same sand ink. I stitched the edges and attached it to the die cut designer paper shape.

Then, I stamped the sentiment with pumpkin and black ink. I added a strip of designer paper along the bottom and a piece of ruffled ribbon along the side. I adhered the sentiment on the panel with foam mounting tape.

I punched the butterfly out of the same orange designer paper and added some adhesive pearls.

Finally, I attached the panel to the card base.

Materials used: Stamps- Friends, Signs of Autumn (Gina K Designs); cardstock-white (Gina K Designs); ink- Sahara Sand, Pumpkin pie (SU!), Memento tuxedo black; Butterfly punch (Martha Stewart); Designer paper- Everafter: Something blue, Something old, Something new (Cosmo Cricket); adhesive pearls (Prima); ribbon (May Arts); Spellbinder labels four die; Cuttlebug (Provocraft); textile embossing folder (Provocraft); sewing machine.

and another...

I cut the card base from blue cardstock. I used a die to cut the curved rectangle from some October Afternoon designer paper.

I applied the rub on to the white mat. Then I die cut some felt to apply over the flower shapes for more texture. I tied a ribbon around the panel and added the sentiment sticker over the ribbon. Finally I added a button with a hemp tie and some rhinestones. Then I assembled the card, putting the section at a slight tilt for fun!

Materials used: Rub on-Farm Fresh (October Afternoon); sentiment sticker - Farm Fresh shape stickers (October Afternoon); Designer paper- Farm Fresh 8 By 8 paper pad (October Afternoon); felt (Papertrey Ink); flower blossom dies (Papertrey)Cardstock- white (Gina K Designs), Hawaiian shores (Papertrey); gemstones (The Paper Studio); ribbon-(Papertrey); button-)Papertrey); Spellbinders die-Curved Rectangle; Cuttlebug (Provocraft).

I know you want to win this beautiful issue from Paper Crafts. So don't forget to leave a comment!!!

....And then head on over to these inspiring blogs and leave a comment to increase your chance to WIN!
Amy Sheffer http://pickledpaperdesigns.blogspot.com/

Carolyn King http://myblogbycammie.blogspot.com/ (You are here!)

Joclyn Nielson http://www.hereiswhatido.blogspot.com/

Julie Campbell http://stampedinhisimage.blogspot.com/

Lisa Johnson http://www.poppypaperie.typepad.com/

Maren Benedict http://www.zanynotcrazy.blogspot.com/
Paper Crafts Connection http://papercraftsconnection.com/

Betsy Veldman: http://www.scrapbookgirl.typepad.com/paper_scissors_and_superh/

Kim Hughes: http://paperhugs.typepad.com/

Kim Kesti: http://kimberlykesti.typepad.com/

Jessica Witty: http://jesswitty.blogspot.com/

Teri Anderson: http://terisplace.wordpress.com/

Thanks so much, Maren, for the amazing chance to play along with your sketch! Love ya!

Thanks for stopping by!

Wanna Be a Gina K Guest Designer?

Hello! Tonight, Gina K is holding a very special blog hop and CONTEST. Join us by using one of the newest stamp sets from our fabulous illustrators. Choose any two of our new Spring colors to create your card. The colors can be in the card stock, buttons, ribbon or patterned paper. Then, add your project to the Mister Linky on Gina's blog. Gina will choose one winner who will be invited to join the Design Team for the month of March. The winner will receive the entire March release including the brand new Stamp TV kit, stamp sets, card stock AND will participate in our Design Team preview party, release party and special Senior DT and Illustrator blog hops!

***Check out Gina's blog for the rest of the details of the contest and on the SPECIAL SALE that begins tonight!

Now is a great time to stock up on what you need and get some great stamps for free! For all the details on this exciting blog hop event and sale, please check out GinaK's blog!

Here is my Spring-y card:

I used Dream Birds to create this card. The challenge this month is to use at least two of the Spring has Sprung Cardstock Collection. I used four of the colors on this card: creme de menthe, innocent pink, lemon drop and ocean mist!

I entered this into the Moxie Fab Fun with Floss challenge. I LOVE using floss on my cards. I created this heart by placing a chipboard shape on the cardstock and using a piercing tool to poke holes around it. Then, I threaded the floss through the holes. I love the texture this adds!

Materials used: Stamps: Dream Birds (Gina K Designs); Memento tuxedo black ink; cardstock-white, kraft, creme de menthe, innocent pink, lemon drop, ocean mist (Gina K Designs); ribbon; Copic markers; circle punch, tab punch (SU!); rub-on (OneHeartOneMind); adhesive pearls (Recollections); swiss dots embossing folder (Provocraft); Cuttlebug (Provocraft); embroidery floss; sewing machine.

We'd love to have you join in the hop by adding your project's direct link to Gina's blog in the Mister Linky box.

Here are all the designers joining in the hop tonight featuring February's new stamp sets:
Jessica Fick
Nina Brackett
Melanie Muenchinger
Theresa Momber
Carolyn King
Tami Mayberry
Cathy Tidwell
Lee Murphy
Donna Baker
Kurtis Amundson
Erika Martin

Don't forget to head on over to Gina's blog to find out all the information about this special event!
Good luck!

Thanks for stopping by!

Want FREE Stamps for a YEAR!

Thought so!

All you have to do is NAME THIS BEAR:

Alma of The Cat's Pajamas is holding a contest to name the newest critter to join the TCP family. Think you have the BESTEST name for him??? Just email your entry to contest@thecatspajamasrs.com by February 8 and if your name is selected....you will win all their new stamps for a YEAR! All the details can be found on this POST!

Card details: Bear-Happy Camper (The Cat's Pajamas), sentiment and flower from A Beary Good Year-releases Feb 9! (The Cat's Pajamas); Copic markers; Memento black ink; white cardstock-Gina K Designs; button; Designer paper- Farm Fresh, Report Card (October Afternoon); ribbon (Offray).

Have a Beary Special Day!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Biggest Loser!!

Sorry for the extra post today....just found out about this and wanted to post it before I forgot!

Yep, I think I am the only person who blogs about losing contests. (The truth is---I think it is good for readers to know the GOOD and the BAD!)

Remember these:

They are the projects I entered into the Spellbinders Pendant Contest. Well....neither of them placed in the top five (or top eight for that matter as they also listed a few honorable mentions!) Big bummer---I actually thought the crown had a chance.

So.....after the design team rejection and now this----I am pretty much thinking that Spellbinders just does not like my style. lol!

You can check out the beautiful winning projects HERE! Seriously, everyone who entered the contest did a fantastic job!

and.......I STILL love the crown!

Today's lesson in life: Believe in yourself, that is ALL that matters! (Some free dies would have been nice, though!)

Thanks for stopping by!

Princess Crown

*Note: I am away on vacation. This is an auto-post!

Spellbinders has a contest going on right now--the Pendant Project Contest--Details HERE!

All you have to do is submit an original creation you made using one of their new Pendant dies.

Here is my entry: When I first saw the Fleur de Lis Pendant---I was LOVING it. When I got it into my home---I loved it even more. There are so many fun things you can create with these dies.

I had a pile of the die cuts sitting on my desk and one time when I looked---I thought that the edges really resembled a Princess crown. So I cut out two of the dies and layered them on top of each other (to get the layered look) and then added some crystals and some stickles!

Good luck to all those who enter!


Thanks for stopping by!

Guess that CCEE Baby Contest

It is time for another CCEE Challenge! This month was Cindy Motherway's turn to supply the challenges.

Cindy challenged us to make a card using our baby pictures.
Here are the rules:
No fancy edges or borders using a fancy punch of any kind, no scallops, no nestabilities, no nuttin!
No fancy primas, no brads, no eyelets, no charm, no ordinary or extraordinary embellishments. No sewing on any of the cards and no Thomas Kinkade landscapes!
No over the top, crazy complicated, triple and quadruple layered sketches!

Here is what you must do:
You must use a piece of ribbon.
You can use as many different colors of cardstock/designer paper as you wish.
You must make your baby picture the main panel, main focus.
You can use stamped images with your baby picture as long as your picture is the main focus.
You must try to keep away from what you feel is your signature look.

If you check out our CCEE blog, you will see all of the things we created with our pictures---and all you have to do is guess which picture belongs to who! [To help you there are photos of each of us as we look today .] So post a comment and give us your guesses.

One random participant will win this Rubber Soul Baby Stamp Set which has been kindly donated to us by Michelle from Stamper's Dream. You have until 12 midnight EST Saturday 17th January to be in the running for this prize. Check out Stamper's Dream store for TONS of your favorite products all in one place. Thanks Michelle for donating the prize!!!
Now head on over to the CCEE Blog to check em all out and enter to win!

Thanks for stopping by!

PC Gourmet--Want One?!

Today, I have a special surprise for one of you. Papercrafts has released another mouthwatering book---PC Gourmet and I have an extra copy to give away! This beautiful book would make the perfect holiday gift (for yourself!) or for that special friend who loves cooking and crafting. The book features over 50 original recipes AND over 110 projects to showcase the culinary treats.

Here is a sneak peek at a recipe and a project from the book. Both were created by PC Pro Alisa Bangerter.

Cheesy Garlic Drop Biscuits
By: Alisa Bangerter

This is a perfect recipe to pull out if you are short on time because there is no rolling or cutting. The cheese and garlic add extra kick to a plain biscuit, and kids love them. They are the perfect accompaniment to serve with soups or stews, and are great served with a salad.
INGREDIENTS
2 c. flour
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 c. butter or margarine
1 1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese
1 1/4 c. milk
Chives (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Mix together dry ingredients. Cut in butter with pastry cutter until mixture is fine. Add cheese and mix well. Add milk and stir until just moistened. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased baking sheet. Sprinkle top with chopped dried or fresh chives if desired. Bake at 400 degrees for approx. 15 minutes.

Enjoy Halloween Tag
Designer: Alisa Bangerter
SUPPLIES: Cardstock: (ivory) Dye ink: (Black) Stewart Superior Corp.; (Summer Sun) Stampin’ Up! Specialty ink: (Mango Lemonade color wash) Stewart Superior Corp. Color medium: (black chalk) Craf-T Products Accents: (black brads) Making Memories; (chipboard bat, moon) Melissa Frances Fibers: (black striped ribbon) Pebbles Inc. Font: (Black Family) www.dafont.com Adhesive: (foam tape) Finished size: 3" x 4 1/2"
1 Make tag from cardstock. 2 Crumple tag and smooth out. Spray edges with color wash; let dry. Apply chalk. 3 Ink chipboard moon; let dry. Chalk edges and adhere. 4 Ink chipboard bat; let dry. Adhere with foam tape. 5 Print sentiment on cardstock; trim and tear edges. Chalk edges and adhere with foam tape. Attach brads. Attach ribbon with brad.

I cannot wait to get my hands on this book. And lucky for you, PaperCrafts is sending me an extra copy so that I can send it to one of YOU. Just post a comment on this thread by Friday, October 31, at 5:00 p.m. central time. One winner will be selected at random using Random. Cara. (I am sorry but this contest is only open to U.S. Residents.)

For those of you interested in purchasing copies as gifts, you can preorder your copies HERE!

Thanks for stopping by! GO PHILLIES!

Catch a Wave---win free stamps!!!

For those of you who do not know...this week Gina K, Stamping Bella and Papertrey Ink are hosting a cruise. While they are having fun stamping, sipping martinis and feeling the cool ocean breezes....we are NOT!
Sob...

To help ourselves feel just a bit better, we had a Land Cruisers party in the Gina K Forum last night. It was lots of fun....and there was a few AWESOME codes given out that are good for today only!

There were also three card challenges---you can find them all in the Gina K Forum. You can find my challenge info HERE! A random winner will be drawn on Saturday morning. The winner gets their choice of any set from Gina K Designs valued at $19.95 or less!!!

Here is the card I made for my challenge--

I used the Just keep Swimming bird. I LOVE his expression...looks like he is about to soil his feathers seeing that big wave coming at him! I used my Scor-Pal to add some texture to the background. I used the Swirls embossing folder and cut out a few of them to make into waves.

Here is a close up of the waves---I added some stickles glitter to make them sparkly and wet looking!!!

Materials used: Stamps-Just Keep Swimming (Gina K Designs); Memento tuxedo black ink; ink-bananna, more mustard, soft sky, blue bayau (Stampin' Up!); cardstock- white, soft sky, blue bayau, more mustard (Stampin' Up!); stickles-crystal (Ranger); ribbon (May Arts); circle punch (SU!); Cuttlebug (Provocraft); Swirls embossing folder (Provocraft); oval punch (SU!); Scor-Pal; dimensionals (SU!); sponge; brads (the Paper Studio).

Hope you will play along!

My one year blogaversary is coming soon---and coincidentally, looks like it might coincide with 200,000 hits! Yep--there will be a party goin' on round here!

Thanks for stopping by!

All Moved and QUEEN for a day!

It has been an exhausting week but----We made it. We are now in our new house (surrounded by boxes!) I promised my dh that I would unpack my stamping stuff last (what was I thinking???) so I don't have a new card to show you but I thought I would share one I made before I was blogging!

It is a simple card--made by brayering the background and sponging the edges of the mustard yellow piece. The rooster is stamped and cut out and popped up to create some dimension.

I used my Stampin' Up! word window punch to create the easel opening at the top of the card. The scrolling punched corners finish off the card.

Materials used: Stamps-rooster (Stampendous); Carte Postale (Stampin' Up!); Paper-black, white; Copic markers; Ink- mustard, black, close to cocoa (SU!); corners scroll punch (SU!); brayer; word window punch (SU!); dimensionals (SU!).

Thanks for hanging in there with me! I, hopefully, will get my craft room up and running soon!

Fun News: I received a call from PaperCrafts Magazine last night letting me know that I was a winner in the Stamping Royalty Contest! Woohoo!!! My response to the person who called was: "Are You Kidding Me???" lol!

In addition to winning $200 worth of fun stamping stuff, my card will appear in the Nov/Dec issue of PaperCrafts! How very exciting!

My husbands response when I told him: "Of course you are royalty, your last name is KING!"

So I let him know that now I am upgrading to QUEEN status!

Thanks for stopping by!

Sketch Challenge

Here is one of the cards I created for the Gina K sketch challenge for the release party last night. There is still time to play along, just create a card using this sketch and post it on this thread by Tuesday night at 7 p.m. central time. The winner will be randomly selected from the entries and that person will win his/her choice of a set valued at $18.95 or less!!!

This card uses the new set called "Owl Always Love You." This set is adorable, you can see the whole set here.

The image was colored with Prismacolor pencils and Copics! I added some tabs at the top.

REMOVED FOR PUBLICATION

Materials used: Stamps- Owl Always Love You (Gina K Designs); cardstock-white, dp by basic grey-Lily Kate; ribbon (May Arts); hemp (Hobby Lobby); Cuttlebug and Nestabilities; Copic markers; Prismacolor pencils; Odorless Mineral Spirits; slit punch (SU!); dimensionals (SU!); oval punch, circle punch (SU!).

Gotta run to a Softball game!

Thanks for stopping by!

The Winner of the $25 GKD Gift Certificate is.....

...Amy! Thanks to everyone who played along! I loved all of your entries!!!

Amy, please email me to get your code for the $25 gift certificate!

Watercolored Flowers

Yeah! I managed to squeeze some stamping time in today. (Boy, I am SICK of having my house on the market ALREADY--and it has only been on three days!)

I pulled out this adorable set from My Favorite Things called Bundles of Bouquets. The flower vase is stamped in Brilliance black ink on watercolor paper and then I watercolored the image. I am not great at watercoloring but I still like to do it!

The background is stamped with Stampin' Up! Weathered.

I pierced around the edge and then used my olive marker from Stampin' Up! to connect the piercings (faux sewing!)

The piece of blue cardstock is from Bazzill Boardwalk collection and was a gift from my sweet friend Tosh!

I used my Cuttlebug and little tag die to create the mini tag. I stamped the word "friend" on it on olive and faux sewed the edges of it too.


Materials used: Stamps-Bundles of Bouquets (My Favorite Things), Weathered (Stampin' Up!); brilliance black ink; watercolors; aquapainter; old olive SU marker; Cardstock-mustard, olive, cranberry crisp, watercolor paper (SU!); Bazzill Basics-Boardwalk; hardware (We R Memory Keepers); Cuttlebug and tag die and Mosaic embossing folder; dimensionals (SU!); hemp (SU!); mustard ribbon (SU!); paper piercing tool and mat (SU!).

Fun stuff:

Check out the Craft Critique review for today--that's me!

Kim (The My Favorite Things lady) is having a cool contest on her blog. Check it out here.

If you have the Framed Flowers set from Gina K Designs and want to win a $25 gift certificate to her store, check out this post.

Thanks for stopping by!

Wanna Win a $25 Gift Certificate?

CONGRATULATIONS AMY---You name was drawn as the winner of the gift certificate...Please email me for the code! Thanks to everyone for playing along!!

As a special thank you to everyone who ordered my newest set from Gina K Designs called "Framed Flowers," I would like to present a $25 gift certificate to one lucky customer.

All you have to do is link a card that you made with your set "Framed Flowers" to this post.

On Saturday, April 5th, I will randomly draw one person to win a $25 Gift Certificate for Gina K. Designs (you will receive a code that you will use at checkout.) This gives you over two weeks to play along and even order the set if you want to play along!

Please link your cards and number your entries to this post. (Only one card/project per person!)

Thank YOU so much!

Wanna Win a New Release from Gina K?

Gina K Designs will be holding her new release party on Monday night (March 10) from 7-9 p.m. central time (8-10 eastern) on Splitcoaststampers. There will be tons of sneak peeks, challenges, prizes and fun. Hope to see you there.

I have a new set that is being released and there are two new sets from my talented friend Melanie and a new artist will be revealing a set as well. Gina will also unveil her "Free with Three" set (which you get FOR FREE if you place an order of three sets or more!) and some cool new embellishments! Gina will begin her sneak peeks of the new sets tomorrow on her blog.

Until then, how about a fun challenge? I posted a color challenge in the Gina K forum! All you have to do is post a card using the colors lovely lilac and certainly celery (optional yoyo yellow!) If you have any Gina K stamps, use them! If not, feel free to play along too!

You have until Monday at 5 p.m. central time to post your card to that thread. A random winner will be selected from all who participate. The winner will win one new release of their choice!!! (It doesn't even have to be mine....smile!)

Hope you play along!

Here is the card I created for the challenge: I used Gina K's Baskets of Happiness set (which as you know, I adore!). I used my Scor-Pal to create the cool grid lines on the green panel. All you have to do for this effect is score the cardstock one way and then turn and score it the other way....easy and fast!

The image is stamped and then I used my Nestabilities dies to punch the scalloped oval (petite) and then emboss. I colored it with Primacolor pencils and Copic markers. I added eyelets to the sides of this panel and threaded some beautiful May Arts ribbon (I got from Jody's ribbon share!) through the eyelets. Then, I attached the oval to the card using dimensional stickers. Then I wrapped the ribbon around to tie.

I pierced the edge and added some white gel pen in the holes.

Here is a view of the card when it is open:

Materials used: Stamps-Baskets of Happiness (Gina K Designs); ink-brilliance black, lilac (SU!); cardstock-lilac, celery; ribbon (May Arts); Scor-Pal; Copic markers; Prismacolor pencils; eyelets; Cropadile; Cuttlebug and Nestabilities (petite ovals); paper piercing tool; Signo gel pen; slit punch (SU!); dimensionals (SU!).

Blog candy to help celebrate my new release.....coming soon!!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Wanna Win all the New My Favorite Things Releases?

Check out this post for details!

Good luck!