Card of the Week at Sugar Creek Hollow!

A big THANK YOU  to the girlies over at Sugar Creek Hollow for choosing my card as card of the week for last week's 'Girly' challenge!!

Hugs!

xoxoxo

The Shabby Tea Room #99!

 Welcome to The Shabby Tea Room #99 - 'Love is in the Air'!  This week's challenge is inspired by this adorable photo ...

... and the challenge is to USE THE COLORS IN THE PHOTO TO CREATE A VALENTINE'S CARD AND INCLUDE A MAIL OR POSTAGE ELEMENT!

 

I decided to create a double-sided heart shaped gift card pocket!  I die cut a scalloped heart using a Spellbinders die and then die cut a coordinating smaller heart on vanilla cardstock.  I stamped the smaller heart using the Shabby Music Background image from JustRite.  Next I stamped the medallion image with red on pink cardstock using the Your Special Day Medallion Labels set and then stamped the sentiment inside the circle using kraft ink. 

 

Next, in my true shabby fashion, I added some bling!!  A snipett of vintage lace trim, a pretty glittered blossom, a glittered chipboard heart, a beautiful jewel, some red trinket pins, tinsel and a couple of rosettes, pearls and rhinestones!!

 

I created a pocket for the back of the heart so I could insert a gift card!  I used the and Greetings From Paris and Always & Forever Medallion Labels sets to create a pretty little postcard pocket!  

Please be sure to visit the other Shabby Girls' blog for lots more pretty inspiration:

Charlene Cundy - Expresstions of Me!
 
Cindy Holshouser - Sweet P Paperie

Fran Westmoreland - Purple Peanut's Crafty Blog

Melissa Bove - Creating From the Heart

Sheri Holt - My Sheri Cards

And then I hope you'll have time this week to play along with our 'Love is in the Air' challenge for your chance to earn a FABULOUS prize from our generous sponsor, JustRite Stamps!!

Hugs!

xoxoxo

Challenges for this project:  

The Kraft Journal - so romantic

Create for CARDS - 6+ hearts

JUGS #121 - 3-D project or template in Valentine's Day theme

Stamptacular Sunday #149 - diamonds or pearls

JustRite Friday Inspiration #65 - For the Love of ...
Mojo Monday #226 - sketch

Simon Says ... Anything Goes!

Hello sweet bloggity friends and welcome to the Simon Says Stamp Challenge Blog #144 - 'Anything Goes'!  I have one final card to share with you created for Simon Says Stamp as their January Guest Designer ... my how time flies when you're having fun!

For this week's card I used some fab Crafty Secrets goodies available from the Simon Says Stamp Superstore -- the Grand Greetings acrylic stamp set along with some pretty papers from the Creating With Vintage Patterns CD.  

I cut the scalloped circle and circle shapes using Spellbinders Nestabilities Dies.  The tiny little tag was die cut using a tag die from Papertrey Ink.  The paper cone was created from a snipett of yellow damask patterned paper and filled with a scrap of dress maker's tissue and pretty blooms from Prima.

I hope you'll have time to give the Simon Says Stamp challenge a try this week for your chance to win the $50 prize!  Big hugs and thanks to Lorraine and all the Simon Says Stamp teamies for inviting me to Guest Design with them this month ... I had so much fun!!

 

Challenges for this card:

Card Patterns #149 - sketch

Moxie Fab World - The Die Cutting Challenge

Sugar Creek Hollow - go girly

CR84FN #46 - light pink, yellow, neutral

Thanks for peeking in today!

Hugs!

xoxoxoxo

The Kraft Journal #55!

Hello all and welcome to this week's challenge at The Kraft Journal!  The #55 challenge is called 'Tie it Up' and this week we're looking for projects with some sort of tied around or tied on element ... and don't forget to use some kraft cardstock or any item from The Kraft Outlet Shop!!

For my 'Tie it Up' project today, I started off by embossing a piece of Lunch Bag Kraft Cardstock and inked the edges. I then cut a piece of Buff Ivory Cardstock for the base of my card.  Next I used a decorative edge die to create a fancy edge on a piece of Yellow Library Card, trimmed the bottom and adhered it to the embossed piece.  I wrapped a bit of Blue Baker's Twine around the embossed piece and then adhered this to the cardstock base.  A sentiment was stamped on a Small Kraft Shipping Tag and then I tied a snipett of Red Baker's Twine around the top of the tag and adhered to the card base.  

A pretty nosegay was created using some blue and cream seam binding from the Victoria Seam Binding pack.  The tag was inked,embellished and finished off with a Pewter Stick Pin.  

 

The Truffle Box was decorated in a coordinating theme using more Blue Seam Binding, Red Baker's Twine and another Pewter Stick Pin -- all available from The Kraft Outlet Shop.

Please stop by The Kraft Journal to check out the awesome inspiration from the other teamies and then I hope you'll have time this week to give our 'Tie it Up' challenge a try ... this was a FUN one!!!

Thank you so much for visiting with me today ... have a wonderful stampy day!!

Hugs!

xoxoxo

Challenges for this project:  

CASE Study #74 - Jen Rzasa inspiration card
Moxie Fab World - The Die Cutting Challenge

The Shabby Tea Room #98!

 Hello all and welcome to The Shabby Tea Room #98!  This week's challenge is called 'Sparkly and Bright' and is hosted by me.  I've chosen this yummy photo as inspiration ...

... and I ask that you create a card or project inspired by the above photo and USE WHITE OR CREAM, SILVER and A SPLASH OF PINK!

 

Digi Doodle Shop is the Tea Room sponsor this week and I got to design with their Antique Stove image!   I printed it on Vintage Cream cardstock, cut it out and then colored the pots and flowers with pastel chalks.

 

The stamped sentiment, die cut tag and text print paper is all from My Favorite Things, pink patterned papers and pearl flourishes are from Prima.

Please be sure to visit the other Shabby Girls' blogs for more inspiration and then hop on over to the Tea Room to give this week's 'Sparkly & Bright' challenge a try!!!

Charlene Cundy - Expresstions of Me!
Cindy Holshouser - Sweet P Paperie

Fran Westmoreland - Purple Peanut's Crafty Blog

Melissa Bove - Creating From the Heart

Sheri Holt - My Sheri Cards

Thanks so much for visiting today ... have a wonderful stampy day!!

Hugs!

xoxoxox

Challenges for this card: 

My Favorite Things Wednesday Stamp Club #55 - sketch

Sugar Hollow Creek - girly
Stamptacular Sunday #148 - spots

The Ribbon Reel #20!

 Hello sweets and welcome to The Ribbon Reel challenge #20!!  This week's challenge is called 'New Year - New Start' and we are asked to create a card or project using RIBBON, LACE, TWINE and a BUTTON along with a NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION!

 

I began this card using some pretty patterned papers from Crate ... I love the calendar paper!  My New Year's Resolution is to help my BFF in getting her Cupcake and Cake Business off the ground the beginning of this year!  Her cupcakes and cakes are the BEST I've ever tasted and she plans to begin by offering an on-line order and ship service ... how cool is that??!!

 

I used some {delicious} ribbons, lace and baker's twine from The Ribbon Reel Shop including:   25mm Toffee Satin, 25mm May Arts Lace & Velvet in pink and ivory and Baker's Twine in orange. 

Please be sure to stop by The Ribbon Reel challenge blog to check out the inspiration from the other teamies too!!  Then, I hope you'll have time to give our 'New Year - New Start' challenge a try this week!

Hugs!

xoxoxo

Challenges for this card:  

Mojo Monday #224 - sketch

Sugar Hollow Creek - girly

A new release giveaway at The Scrapcake ...

Karola and The Scrapcake girlies are starting the new year with a couple of brand new ... gorgeous paper lines!  I'm drooling over the new collections and cannot wait to order and receive some of these beautiful papers to create layouts with!!

Karola is so very generous that she is giving away some papers from each new release!  Be sure to visit The Scrapcake blog for all the details!

Hugs!

xoxoxo

A Waltzingmouse {Sweet} Recap ...

Hello sweeties and welcome to my blog today!!  TGIF .. right??!!??  I love Friday's -- the official start to the lovely weekend!

I'm so excited to share a bit of {sweet} news with you all!  Claire from Waltzingmouse Stamps hosted her first Blog Party of 2012 this past Tuesday ... the theme was 'Sweet Treats'!  I couldn't help but play along!  I knew right away that I wanted to create a Tea Party ensemble ... I adore hosting and attending tea parties!!

 I pulled out all my yummy Melissa Frances papers along with a couple templates and stamp sets from Waltzingmouse Stamps and set to work!

 I'm delighted that everyone enjoyed peeking at my sweet little set and I can't thank Claire enough for spotlighting my project in the top three today on her blog - WOW!!!  What an honor!!

I hope you all have a wonderful day ... I hope you get some stampy time in today too!!!

Hugs!

xoxoxo

It's a Tea Party ...

So today was the day ... the much anticipated Tea Party for my BFF's birthday!!  I got up early this morning and baked and prepped ... the table was set, the gift was purchased, the card was made!  All this party needed was the birthday girl :)

We enjoyed the most wonderful afternoon together -- chatting, laughing, catching up!  It was just what we both needed to 'recharge our batteries'!!

My friend, Susan, owns her own cupcake and cake business, so it was a natural decision for me to give her a copy of the The Cupcake Diaries by the Kallinis Sisters ... Sophie and Katherine, owners of DC Cupcakes!  It is both Susan and my dream to travel to Washington this summer and visit DC Cupcakes live and have our own tea party with some yummy, fresh, hand baked cupcakes made by the sisters!!

I baked a batch of french vanilla cupcakes and frosted them with whipped buttercream frosting and then sprinkled the tops of the cakes with Cinnamon Sprinkles and pink edible sugar glitter ... I didn't snap a picture of the cupcakes decorated before I put them into the little cupcake box, but believe me -- they were super cute and yummy looking!!  The cupcake box is the new Hey Cupcake template from My Time Made Easy -- LOVE it!!

Susan and I have enjoyed many the hours together getting inky and stampy, so I also gifted her a one-year subscription to Paper Crafts Magazine for some fun inspiration!!

Our first course consisted of cucumber finger sandwiches on whole wheat bread that I cut out with adorable tea pot cookie cutters!   We also feasted on Quiche Lorraine (Swiss cheese & bacon) and Quiche Florentine (Swiss cheese and spinach) petite quiches!

The second course consisted of Cranberry Orange Scones with Devonshire Cream and Champagne Jelly - yum!!

The final course ... the yummiest ... was the dessert course!  We enjoyed Double Chocolate Spirals, Mini Cheesecake Tortes with Raspberry Jam, Lemon Button Tea Cookies and Cinnamon Cookie Straws!

All in all ... a FABULOUS day!  One that I've been looking forward to for days on end!  It's not that often that I just stop and do something so over the top fun like this!  I can't get the smile off my face ... I adore hosting and attending tea parties, so today was a blast!

And, if it couldn't get any better ... we're heading out to dinner in a bit with the hubby's -- a continuation of the birthday celebration!

Today was a GOOD DAY!  I hope you had a fabulous day too -- no matter where you are and what you did!

Hugs!

xoxoxo

Simon Says ... Let's Get Sketchy!

Hello sweet bloggity friends and welcome to the Simon Says Stamp Challenge Blog #143 - 'Let's Get Sketchy'!  I have another card to share with you created for Simon Says Stamp as their January Guest Designer ... I turned this week's sketch on it's side!!! 

For this week's card I used some fab Crafty Secrets goodies available from the Simon Says Stamp Superstore --  Little Blessings Creative Scraps, Mini Frames and Grand Greetings acrylic stamp sets along with some pretty papers from the Creating With Vintage Patterns CD.  

The beautiful ticking stripe twill tape is from The Ribbon Reel Shop!

 

This card is going off to a favorite little toddler of mine to thank her for her sweet generosity over the holidays (and her mama's sweet generosity too!!!).

I hope you'll have time to give the Simon Says Stamp challenge a try this week for your chance to win the $50 prize!  Thanks for peeking in today.  Please come back and visit me here next Wednesday where I'll have one last card to share for the next challenge in January!!

Until then, happy stamping!

Hugs!

xoxoxoxo

Challenges for this card:  

The Pink Elephant #131 - favorite colors

Stamptacular Sunday #147 - texture

Moxie Fab World - the die cutting challenge

It's a Birthday Party in the Tea Room ...

 Happy Birthday to you ... Happy Birthday to you ... Happy Birthday dear Melissa and Fran!  Happy Birthday to you BOTH!

 

A couple of the Shabby Girls are celebrating birthdays this week, so we got together in the Tea Room and decided to throw them a little party!!

 

We have a link tool opened up over at the Tea Room in case you want to join in on the fun and share some sweet birthday cards and creations with a few of your favorite Shabby Girls!!!

 

I adore how this 'big WISH' card turned out ... the background 'paper' is actually blue polka dotted DUCK TAPE I had laying around in my 'everything drawer' in the kitchen!  The colors matched perfectly with the colors of the glittered chipboard alphas I found in my treasure baskets ... LOVE!!!

Please hop on over to the Tea Room to share some birthday fun with the Shabby Girls and I hope you'll have time to make them a card also!

Hugs!

xoxoxo

Challenges for this card: 

Ribbon Carousel Challenge #36 - sketch

Moxie Fab World - tools around the house (duck tape!)

Moxie Fab World - the die cutting challenge (tickets)

Stamptacular Sunday #147 - texture